WHEN we read of the trial of the blessed Lord Jesus and learn of the terrible injustice that was done him, we feel that it was cruel for men to do such a thing to One so innocent. Yet such happened when the Spirit of God was withdrawn. We read, furthermore, that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. We know, therefore, that when the Spirit of God is withdrawn from men to-day, they will do the same things. A few days ago we had an experience which will illustrate this forcibly.
One of the workers of the Jewish Mission was out doing colporteur work. The Lord was blessing his efforts, and he was doing what he could to help the people, at the same time getting into their hands literature filled with the blessed truth. At one house he met a poor soul who was discouraged. He pointed her to the precious promises, cheered her spirits with the blessed hope, and received an order for a book. This visit lasted about twenty minutes. He then went to another house, where he spent about five minutes, then started to meet a brother worker, with whom he had an appointment at noon.
As he was going from one street onto another, having been obliged to hurry a bit in order to fill the engagement, some one pointed him out, saying, “He is the one,” and very soon he felt a hand placed upon him. Then another young man came along and laid hands on him, and together these young men led our brother to a place about seven minutes’ walk distant, where he was accused of larceny, of having stolen a diamond ring and a brooch. The young man protested his innocence, but to no purpose. Though they admitted that they could not identify his face, still he was dressed like the young man who was seen running across a lot from the house, and was chased by these young men. An ambulance was sent for, and he was locked in a prison cell.
About six hours after, we were notified, and went to see him in the station-house, only to learn that it would take two hundred dollars to let him out on bail. The funds were supplied, and the young man promised to be in court at 9 A. M. the day following.
Several of the ministering brethren and a number of other workers attended the trial, and also the woman at whose house he was at the time the theft was committed, six blocks away.
None of the government witnesses said that they knew he was the one, for no one had seen his face. He had a coat like his, was about his size, looked something like him, something of the same general build. The only witness who gave any damaging evidence was the young man who said he chased him from the time he saw the culprit running, till he caught him. To do this, however, the teamster had to go up and down several blocks, while the thief was running across a lot. Despite the blocks of houses, he dared tell the court he never took his eyes off the young man, and his testimony was not questioned by the judge.
All the witnesses testified that the theft was committed between 11:40 A. M. and 12:05, noon. Then the brother called for the testimony of the lady at whose house he had called at the time. She was a beautiful Christian character, and recited to the court her story, from the time the young man entered the house, at 11:40 A. M., till the time he left, and for five minutes after. “For,” she said, “I thought what an excellent young man he was who encouraged me, and did me so much good.” She had her Bible in court to show the judge the very texts the young man turned to while he was there, and also the receipt the young man left as a guarantee, bearing his own signature, that he would bring the book. But the court refused to see either.
She was asked by the judge, furthermore, how long it would take a person to go from her house to the place where the theft was committed, and she told him that a good walker could travel the distance in fifteen minutes.
Then the brother took the stand and told his story. He informed the court that it was the first time he had ever been in that section of Boston, did not even know where the street was, and could tell nothing about it. He also explained that he was a Christian worker, and told what he was trying to do among the people. Certainly it was told in a way that ought to establish the belief in his innocence in the minds of every one present who loved justice. Despite all this, the court found him guilty. It certainly came as a shock to us all.
Then the judge asked the question as to the disposition of the case—what he should do with it. The brother then called on me, and I recited to the court my acquaintance with the young man. I knew he was a Christian, had known him for nearly two years; was acquainted with him when he was training for a medical missionary, and never knew anything bad about him. We endeavored to tell the court the truth about the matter. Then the judge called on the clerk of the court for his opinion. The clerk gave a very good testimony; he said that he had heard the young man had done good work, was thought much of by those who knew him, and seemed to be an upright person. Everything that could be said in his favor was recited. The judge then took the matter under consideration.
In a few minutes he handed the clerk a paper, and the clerk announced that he was fined forty dollars. This certainly was an astonishment to us all. The poor brother did not know what to say or do. Even the prosecution was surprised. He then appealed the case to the superior court.
After the trial was ended, the woman who lost the articles came to several of our workers, and told them she did not believe he was the one who took them, and felt very sorry that things turned out as they did. She said that she did not swear it was he, only she was obliged to testify, which she did.
After leaving the court I had a conversation with an officer. He said that, being an officer, he did not care to be quoted; but he remarked that in all his experience as a policeman he never heard such a decision. He said that when thieves were caught with the goods on them, they were never fined over ten dollars for petty larceny; but here this Christian young man was fined forty dollars.
A few days after, the brother had occasion to go into the same neighborhood where he was canvassing when arrested, and a policeman came to him and asked him if he was not the one who was arrested for larceny. The policeman told this brother to get off his beat, and that if he did not, he would arrest him again. So he was obliged to leave.
This, dear friends, is an experience with a lesson in it. May God arouse us to take hold and do this work while we have the opportunity; for it surely will be much harder soon. And what we fail to do in times of prosperity we shall have to do in times of adversity.
We hope you will all pray for the brother, and that God will give us wisdom to know what to do. He was bailed out again for the same amount as at first. The case comes to trial the first Monday in January.
Boston, Mass.
The Bible, an Impregnable Rock
THE more the Bible is assailed, the more clearly does it stand forth as the impregnable rock of holy scripture, the infallible and only rule of faith and practise.
Our Cooking Class
By F. O. Raymond
F. O. RAYMOND
Nut Foods
With their very large percentage of protein and fat, nuts are even a more perfect vegetarian meat than legumes, but on account of their cost and the difficulty of securing them in sufficient quantity, it is doubtful whether nuts can ever occupy a very large place in our American dietary. For the most part, however, nearly every section has its own native nuts, which are quite moderate in price and not so difficult to obtain, and these will be found of great value, especially for winter use along with the other foods. Among those which might be mentioned are the chestnut, butternut, hickory nut, walnut, hazelnut, pecan, pinenut, beechnut, and, as usually classed, the peanut. All of these, except the chestnut and the peanut, containing but little starch, require no cooking, and if taken in small quantities and most thoroughly masticated, are highly nourishing and wholesome.
Difficulty in the use of nuts arises chiefly from the way in which they are eaten—imperfectly masticated, perhaps in large quantities, between meals and in the evening. A rich food of such dense, hard structure as nuts, must, by mastication or other means, be reduced to a perfect cream, be partaken of in small quantities and in connection with the regular meals. Chestnuts, on account of the large percentage of starch and small amount of fat, are best either boiled or roasted. Peanuts, being of the nature of legumes, require prolonged boiling or steaming. The common practise of roasting renders them unwholesome, as it virtually fries the nut in its own oil.
Nut Meal and Nut Butter
Those unable to procure the manufactured nut products may, with a suitable mill, furnish themselves, with much less expense, products which in all essentials for ordinary family use are nearly or quite equal to those upon the market. For all-round usefulness, a mill like the Quaker City, or the Universal Food Chopper, which cuts or chops, is much more serviceable than one like the regular nut-butter mill, which crushes or grinds only by pressure. In case the mill can not be adjusted close enough for butter, a finely perforated tin or sieve may often be fitted in against the knife so as to remedy the difficulty.
Of the great variety of nuts which may be made into meal or butter the sweet almond is the best, and like the pecan, walnut, hickory nut, etc., needs no cooking. It must, however, be blanched by standing a few minutes in boiling hot water, then pinching off the skins and drying. Some nuts may, if liked, be ground without blanching. In blanching the peanut do not roast, but turn into a large pan, place in an oven rather moderately heated, stir several times, and remove just as soon as the skins will slip off when the nuts are rubbed upon a sieve or in the hands. Rub, winnow, and grind the nuts, then put away in glass jars until needed for cooking.
Prepare peanut butter by taking a cup or more of the peanut meal, adding about an equal measure of hot water, salting and cooking for several hours in a double boiler or in a basin set in a moderate oven. Prepare the butter in small quantities, as it will not keep long in warm weather. If well cared for, the meal in its dry state will keep a long time. Nut meal and butter thus prepared may, in moderation, be used in a variety of ways, as butter, in seasoning soups, vegetables, roasts, and other foods.
“There are many minds in many places to whom the Lord will surely give knowledge of how to prepare foods that are healthful and palatable, if he sees that they will use this knowledge righteously. Animals are becoming more and more diseased, and it will not be long until animal food will be discarded by many besides Seventh-day Adventists. Foods that are healthful and life-sustaining are to be prepared, so that men and women will not need to eat meat.”
“The Lord will teach many in all parts of the world to combine fruits, grains, and vegetables into foods that will sustain life and will not bring disease. Those who have never seen the recipes for making the health foods now on the market, will work intelligently, experimenting with the food productions of the earth, and will be given light regarding the use of these productions. The Lord will show them what to do. He who gives skill and understanding to his people in one part of the world will give skill and understanding to his people in other parts of the world. It is his design that the food-treasures of each country shall be so prepared that they can be used in the countries for which they are suited. As God gave manna from heaven to sustain the children of Israel, so he will now give his people in different places skill and wisdom to use the productions of these countries in preparing foods to take the place of meat. . . .”
“It is the Lord’s design that the poorest people in every place shall be supplied with inexpensive, healthful foods. . . .”
“Many have written to me, ‘I can not use the nut foods; what shall I use in place of meat?’ One night I seemed to be standing before a company of people, telling them that nuts are used too freely in their preparation of foods; that the system can not take care of them when used as in some of the recipes given; and that if used more sparingly, the results would be more satisfactory. . . . I have been instructed that the nut foods are often used unwisely, that too large a proportion of nuts is used, that some nuts are not as wholesome as others. Almonds are preferable to peanuts; but peanuts in limited quantities may be used in connection with grains to make nourishing and digestible food.”
“God is working in behalf of his people. He does not desire them to be without resources. He is bringing them back to the diet originally given to man. Their diet is to consist of the foods made from the materials he has provided. The materials principally used in these foods will be fruits, and grains, and nuts, but various roots will also be used.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VII, pages 124-137.
In our sanitarium practise we make use of protose, nuttolene, bromose, malted nuts, and nuts in their natural state, but use very little peanut butter.
Recipes
A TASTY NUT PREPARATION
Take 1 quart water, 2 ounces raw nut meal or nut butter, salt, sage, onion to taste, and 1 quart zwieback crumbs. Add nut meal or butter and seasoning to the14water, and stir in the zwieback crumbs. Bake to a nice brown in spoonfuls in an oiled pan. Serve with a gravy made as follows:—
NUT MEAL GRAVY
Heat one quart water to boiling, add 2 ounces (about two-thirds cup) nut meal, and thicken with equal parts of gluten and white flour. Salt to taste.
HOME-MADE GRANOLA
Take 3 cups white flour, 1 cup Graham, 1 cup steel-cut oatmeal or corn-meal, salt. If oatmeal is used, soak it one-half hour. Make a stiff dough as for rolls, knead thoroughly, roll out into sheets one-fourth inch thick, prick, and bake to a light-brown entirely through. Grind in a coffee mill or nut mill, and serve with dairy or nut cream, fruit juice, or dry.
Washington, D. C.
Opportunity
By Walter Malone
(From Another Standpoint)
THEY do me wrong who say I come no more
When once I knock and fail to find you in;
For every day I stand outside your door,
And bid you wake and rise to fight and win.
Wail not for precious chances passed away!
Weep not for golden ages on the wane!
Each night I burn the record of the day;
At sunrise every soul is born again.
Laugh like a boy at splendors that have sped,
To vanished joys be blind and deaf and dumb;
My judgments seal the dead past with its dead,
But never bind a moment yet to come.
Though deep in mire, wring not your hands and weep;
I lend my arm to all who say, “I can!”
No shamefaced outcast ever sank so deep
But yet might rise and be again a man!
Dost thou behold thy lost youth all aghast?
Dost reel from righteous retribution’s blow?
Then turn from blotted archives of the past,
And find the future’s pages white as snow.
— Walter Malone.
Enjoying the Disagreeable
THERE is only one enjoyment keener than that which we find in the things that we do easily, and that is the enjoyment of overcoming life's disagreeable tasks. Said a housekeeper concerning a household duty: “I disliked to scour knives, and sometimes would wash them and lay them aside till a whole dozen would be frowning darkly at me. But once, when I had put a few away, suddenly I felt that it was wrong, and I brought them back and made them shine. And ever since, I have liked that part of the work best of all, because I always feel as I did when I was little, and father used to pat me on the shoulder when he was pleased.” It takes character, and it makes character, to get to be heartily liking the knife-scouring part “best of all.” But how much more sensible it is to learn to like what we must do anyway!—Sunday School Times.
Winter Butterflies
EVERY one loves butterflies, and the amusement of making them as herein described is a favorite sport among art students, but any one can enjoy it with very little trouble.
All that is required are a few tubes of oil colors—red, vermillion, lake, cobalt, white, yellow, and green,—and a few sheets of plain note-paper, and some dull fruit knives.
Each piece of paper should be folded in half, straight down the middle, the fold well creased, and the paper then opened. One carrying the tubes of colors, then squeezes a tiny speck of several colors on each paper, close to one side of the fold and midway between the top and bottom, so that the paint is on the inside, between the two halves.
The players then take the fruit knives, and with the dull edges press upon the paper over the fold and the paint, working the latter upward and outward toward the edge of the paper to make the wings of the butterfly. The paper may be held to the light, every now and then, to see how the paint is being worked, so that the knife may be guided aright.
When the top wing is formed in profile, the knife should be worked downward on the paper to form the lower wing, a little smaller than the upper one. The more paint put in the fold, the easier it will be to get a beautiful result.
When all have finished, and the papers are opened, in each will be found a gorgeously colored butterfly, with wings widespread ready for flight.—Selected.
The Wife’s Influence
By Mary Stewart Cutting
EVERY married woman, no matter how limited her life may seem, no matter how shut up she may be in the nursery or the kitchen, has a means of contact with the great world in the man who goes out into it—has a means of influence on it through him. Seen or unseen, it is there. The man who is happy in his home carries the atmosphere of it with him; he is himself more in touch with others because of it. In this day and age when so many women are seeking scope for their powers in arts and professions and business careers, there are some who realize that in their marriages there is the very widest scope—women who put the enthusiasm, the brain-power, the artistic perception, the clear-sighted effort into their profession as wives and mothers, mistresses of households. These are the women who use their brains and their souls to love with, as well as their hearts, and who wield an extraordinary far-reaching power, all the greater because that power is the last thing they are thinking of or seek to attain. That intangible thing that we call the spirit of the home walks abroad with every member of it. The “nice” children in school gravitate instantly toward the children of that household, gravitate toward the house itself, because there is something there that they need.—Mary Stewart Cutting, in Harper’s Bazaar.
“She Was a Stranger”
THE following story, which comes from the West, brings with it a lesson for all, both old and young.
A Sunday-school missionary, while addressing a Sunday-school, noticed a little girl, shabbily dressed and bare-footed, shrinking in a corner, her little sun-burned face buried in her hands, sobbing as if her heart would break.
Soon, however, another little girl, about eleven years of age, got up and went to her. Taking her by the hand, she led her out to the brook, where she seated the little one on a log. Then kneeling beside her, this good Samaritan took off the ragged sunbonnet, and dipping her hand in the water, bathed the other’s hot eyes and tear-stained face and smoothed the tangled hair, talking cheeringly all the while.
The little one brightened up, the tears vanished, and smiles came creeping around the rosy mouth.
The missionary, who had followed the two, stepped forward and asked, “Is this your sister?”
“No, sir,” answered the child, with tender, earnest eyes; “I have no sister.”
“O, one of the neighbor’s children,” replied the missionary; “a little schoolmate perhaps?”
“No, sir; she is a stranger. I do not know where she came from. I never saw her before.”
“Then how came you to take her out and have such a care for her, if you do not know her?”
“Because she was a stranger, sir, and seemed all alone, and needed somebody to be kind to her.”—The Silent Messenger.
Tiring Children
The injury done to children, and more especially to delicate children, by overfatigue, is not sufficiently recognized by many mothers and nurses.
Too long walks, games that call for too much exertion, which must be kept up until the end, too late hours for going to bed, or too early hours for getting up, are all causes — every-day causes — of overfatigue.
Now, mark this, fatigue from work or play, or bodily exercise of any sort, is the reverse of injurious to those who are physically strong. If we are in good health and vigorous, it does us no harm to go to our beds tired at night.
We sleep all the better for it, and rise refreshed in the morning. To be overtired, however — so tired that one can not sleep — is bad for any one. — Selected.
The Grandeur of Life
“WE reduce life to the pettiness of our daily living; we should exalt our living to the grandeur of life.”
A Lesson in Courtesy
A MOTHER had need one evening to pass between the light and her little son. With sweet, grave courtesy she said, “Will you excuse me, dear, if I pass between you and the light?”
He looked up and said, “What made you ask me that, mother?”
“Because, dear,” she answered, “it would be rude to do it without speaking. I would not think of not speaking if it had been Mr. ——, the minister,—and surely I would not be rude to my own boy.”
The boy thought a moment, and then asked, “Mother, what ought I to say back?”
“What do you think would be nice?”
He studied over it a while, for he was such a wee laddie, and then said, “Would it be nice to say, ‘Surely you can’?”
This was mother's time to say, “That would be nice; but how would you like to say, just as Mr. —— would, ‘Certainly’? It means the same thing, you know.”
That little lad, now a young man in college, is remarked for his never-failing courtesy. A friend said of him the other day, “It’s a second nature to —— to be polite.” The mother smiled as she thanked God in her heart for the grace which helped her to be unfailingly courteous to her boy.—Selected.
W. J. TANNER
By W. J. TANNER
Hayti
W. J. TANNER
On the twenty-fifth of October, in company with several of our native brethren, I started on a trip to visit some of our Sabbath-keepers about fifty miles in the interior. We arrived at Ranquitte the same day, and remained with the little company there over the Sabbath. At this place I baptized three precious souls, and held the ordinances with the believers. The next day we went on about twenty miles farther to Pignon. This place is situated on a vast plateau of fine pasture land. The altitude and the absence of the usual dense tropical vegetation make Pignon a remarkably healthful place in which to live; yet because of the abuse of the laws of nature, one does not have to search far even in this favored spot to find misery and suffering.
When I visited Pignon six months ago, there were no Sabbath-keepers there. At that time we held several meetings, and our native worker remained for two weeks after we left, but all without apparent results at that time. However, the seed then sown has since taken root, and we therefore found four candidates for baptism on our arrival. But as these had received but little instruction, I did not think it advisable to baptize them at this time. I therefore suggested a date in the coming year, and again left our native worker at this place, this time to remain a few days to further prepare the believers for the solemn obligations they are about to take upon themselves.
From Pignon we went on to St. Raphael. We have no Sabbath-keepers at the latter place; but having heard that the wife of the Baptist minister at St. Raphael had, when a child, lived in the family of the late Wm. Mead Jones, the Seventh-day Baptist editor of London, and author of “Chart of the Week,” a work well known among our people, I naturally had a desire to visit her, and to this end went one day’s journey out of my way. Upon arriving at the hospitable home of Pasteur Maynard, I received a hearty welcome in good English, which sounded out of place, but pleasant among these Haytian hills.
Both the pastor and his wife are past the allotted threescore years and ten, and have spent nearly their entire lives in the Master’s work in Hayti. It is evidently due, to a certain extent, to the good work that they and some of their associates have done, that the way for the third angel’s message among the Catholics of this field has been so well prepared. They have planted little companies here and there, and these have served to let it be known that there is something more satisfying than the hollow forms of popery. These companies of Protestants are never very large, from five to ten or twenty being the usual number, although in one or two of the more important towns the congregations may be larger. However, they have called attention to the work of the Reformation, and this has done much to pave the way for the progress of what we believe to be the final but most important phase of the great work begun by the Reformers.
It may not be generally known among those who, either personally or by reputation, knew the late Wm. Mead Jones,16D. D., that it was in Hayti that he began to keep the true Sabbath, or at least formed the resolution to do so. As told me by Mrs. Maynard, the facts are as follows: In 1847 or 1848 Mr. Jones came out from America as a Baptist missionary, and located first at Port au Prince, and then at Port de Paix. It was at the latter place that he determined to keep the Sabbath. The Baptist Missionary Board that sent him, being informed of this, withdrew him from the field in 1850. When he left, he took Miss Durrant (Mrs. Maynard) with him, and placed her in the Seventh-day Baptist Academy at Alfred Center, N. Y., where she completed her education. As is well known, Mr. Jones was, for many years, a leading spirit among our Seventh-day Baptist friends; and as their London pastor and editor he was, I believe, very friendly to those who helped to establish our work in Great Britain. There are some in Hayti to-day who were baptized by this servant of God, and who remember him as the pastor who began keeping “Saturday for Sunday;” and all these years they have talked about it, and debated over it; and while none, so far as I can learn, ever began the observance of the Sabbath as a result, yet I am able to point out several who thereby received favorable impressions of the truth. Thus we have another illustration of the many indirect means that God uses to prepare the way for his last message of mercy.
Since beginning this report I have received a visit from a native preacher of the Wesleyan denomination. He has recently determined to be baptized, and because of this the Baptists are working hard to get him. However, a tract of ours on the soul question was put in his hand, and so stirred him that he called to get more literature on the subject. He had many questions to ask, which were hard for one so weak in the language to answer. However, although my French was bad, the Spirit of the Lord was present, and I could tell by the flash of light in the eye and on the countenance, that every question was answered satisfactorily. We do not know what the outcome of this case will be, but this we do know: that the hand of the Lord is over the work and leading it forward to success, not only in Hayti, but the world over.
The Message in Spain
By Frank S. Bond
FRANK S. BOND
OUR hearts are made glad as we read from week to week of the progress of the work in all parts of the great harvest-field; and we are thankful that some fruit has begun to appear in Spain, as a result of the efforts put forth here.
During the month of August seven dear souls went forward with their Lord in baptism, and one week ago last Sabbath another sister took this important step.
My brother and his wife are faithfully toiling on in Barcelona and surrounding places.
One month has now passed since, with my family, I came to Valencia. I am thankful to announce that during this month we have become acquainted with several persons who seem much interested in the message for this time. Some of these have come to our home for studies, and we are hopeful that, by God's blessing, they may be persuaded to take their stand for the truth.
As we come in contact with those who style themselves Protestants, who are members of various popular churches, and see how little difference exists between them and those who make no profession, we long and pray that this third angel's message, which causes a complete reformation in the life of every individual who accepts it, may soon be heralded to every city and village of this dark land.
A short time ago, while on a trip through southern Spain, I visited one of the native Protestant ministers in the city of Malaga. During our conversation he in some way referred to 1 Cor. 3:16, 17. I then explained to him how I often apply those verses, and thus drew out the information that he is a user of tobacco. He went on to show me the imaginary good he derives from smoking. He writes for a denominational paper, the title of which is El Cristiano (The Christian). He says that often when he is writing, and can not get the thought he wishes, he begins to roll a cigarette, and the thought comes to him with a bound. I suggested how much better it would be to pray under such circumstances, rather than trust in a cigarette, but he did not seem to take very favorably to that thought. Just imagine the articles of a paper entitled The Christian being inspired by the deadly nicotin of cigarettes! What combination could be more pleasing to the enemy of all righteousness? Wine is also freely used by almost all Protestants, so called, in Spain.
I am thankful for a part in proclaiming a converting message. The psalmist declares, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” How thankful we are that a few sons and daughters of the land of the Inquisition are demonstrating the converting influence of that law! Last week two of our colporteurs came to Valencia, and have begun a thorough campaign of this city. They are selling the tract entitled “The Signs of Our Times.” I have spent some time selling this tract, since coming here, with good results. Pray that these brethren may meet with success.
We are often compelled to think of the greatness of Spain's population. Her territory is small, but she has almost one fourth as many people as are found in the whole of the United States of North America. That country has hundreds of workers, and I am very thankful it has; but here we are hardly a handful, and O, the need is so great! Are there not some in the home land who feel that they should sacrifice the comforts of home, and the companionship of loved ones and friends, and come to this needy field to work for souls? If there are those who think of making Spain their future field of labor, and have any questions with reference to the country, we shall be pleased to do our best to answer them. We ask an interest in the prayers of all God's people, that we may know just how to meet these people.
