p. 357 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 30. (8/9/1883)

Tradition and the Bible.

By John Nevins Andrews

God gave the Bible by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That volume is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. We must not add to the word of God, and we are warned not to take anything away from it. Prov. 30:5, 6; Deut. 4:2; 12:32. If we obey this instruction, we shall conform exactly to the will of God. We shall not create institutions and commandments and add them to those which God has created, and we shall not neglect nor transgress any of the things which God has commanded.

But men do dare to add to the Bible and to take away from the Bible, and they are so far from thinking this to be a sin that they even regard it as a virtue. The authority which justifies this course of action is tradition. Now tradition has an origin that is wholly indefinite and uncertain. Men suppose that Christ taught his apostles some things of a different nature from those which the apostles recorded. They suppose that the apostles repeated these things by word of mouth to the next generation of disciples, and they to the next, and they to the next, in constant succession. Thus in the second or third or fourth centuries men began to write what had come down to them in this manner by tradition. These writings in our times are known as the works of the fathers of the church. Some of these works contain valuable information concerning the times in which the writers lived, and valuable expositions of some passages of the Bible.

But when they deal in traditions they always depart from the declarations of the Bible, sometimes in a very grave manner. When traditions do not contradict the Bible they may be true, but they are not even then safe to follow, for they may be entirely false. But when traditions do conflict with the word of God we know that they are absolutely false. The Bible came from God. Whatever tradition contradicts the Bible must have come from the adversary of God and man, Satan. But many persons seem never to have thought of this. They acknowledge that the Bible came from God, but they think that tradition comes also from God, even though it contradict what he has said in his word. Therefore they dare to accept tradition when it leads even to disobedience of the commandments of God. There is always one thing to promote the triumph of tradition over the Bible: Tradition is popular and agreeable, but the Bible is always pointing us to the duty of self-denial and the crucifixion of the old man with his deeds.

Tradition is the great source of strength to the church of Rome. Her doctrines, ceremonies, and ordinances rest mainly upon tradition as she freely admits. Her rule of faith is not the Bible alone, but the Bible and tradition. And when these two are thus joined tradition has always the superiority. Men do not say in such cases: We will accept tradition so far as it is in harmony with the Bible, but they say rather: Tradition has come down to us to teach the meaning of the Bible, and to supply the defects of that book. Tradition is therefore always the master, and the Bible must give place to this usurper.

If the church of Rome were to renounce tradition and to return to the simplicity of the Bible, we should see no longer one vast organization largely composed of unconverted men, but we should see, as in the book of Acts, many churches, each composed of men and women who had been converted. There would be no pope and cardinals, no archbishops and bishops, no inquisition, no pompous ceremonies, but there would be pastors and evangelists, like Stephen, who was filled with faith and the Holy Ghost; and the members of these churches would keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, without turning to the right hand or to the left to follow tradition.

Tradition is the great element of weakness in the Protestant church. It is not such from necessity, but from unfaithfulness on the part of Protestants to the great doctrine of the Reformation that the Bible alone, and not the Bible with tradition, is the rule by which God governs men. Before this doctrine Romanism must fall, and so also must all human ordinances among Protestants. The weakness of Protestants has been that in separating from the church of Rome they brought away with them institutions which could not be sustained without the help of tradition, and which made void some of the institutions of the Bible. This has placed them under the necessity of constant resort to tradition to strengthen the feeble support which they could produce from the Bible for the institutions to which we refer. And this has given Romanists the occasion to say that Protestants do not make the Bible their only authority, but that while denying that tradition should be added to the Bible, they actually add tradition to that book, but only follow tradition so far as it suits them, while Romanists follow it in full.

There is certainly some force to this reproach. We refer in particular to the change of the fourth commandment. We have often shown that the Bible makes no allusion to this change as an act wrought by divine authority. But it is said in reply that the fathers of the church assert that this change was made by Christ, and that they received this fact by tradition from the apostles. J. N. A.

The Honor Due to God.—No. 2.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

LAST week we showed that besides honoring God in a general way with our means, we are called upon to honor him with the first-fruits of all our increase—to devote a tithe to God. We showed that it rests upon the same foundation as the Sabbath, and is as binding on men.

The payment of tithes dates from long before the Jews were called as God's peculiar people, and is one of those things which our Saviour said ought to be done. Perhaps we do not always grasp the full force of that word "ought." Webster says it denotes "obligation to duty," "moral obligation." When, therefore, Christ said, "These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone," it was equivalent to a command. In effect he said, It is your duty not only to do judgment, mercy, etc., but also to pay tithes. Reader, do you profess to love the Lord? remember that he has said: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

There is one more thought which we will present as showing that tithing is not a Jewish, but a Christian doctrine. We turn to the case of Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings. Gen. 14. When Melchizedek, king of Salem, and "the priest of the Most High God," came forth, Abraham gave him tithes of all that he had gained. In the seventh chapter of Hebrews, the apostle Paul, in the course of an argument based on this circumstance, to show the superiority of the Melchizedek priesthood, makes incidentally a strong argument on the obligation to pay tithes. We quote verses 4-10.

"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they were come out of the loins of Abraham; but he whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payeth tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him."

The argument for tithing, which is none the less forcible because it is brought in incidentally, to illustrate another point, is as follows: Under the Mosaic law the tribe of Levi, which was appointed for the service of the sanctuary, received tithes of the people. The tribe of Levi was, therefore, superior in rank to the other tribes. Abraham was the father of all the Jewish tribes, and consequently he was greater even than Levi. The Jews regarded Abraham with peculiar reverence. But Melchizedek was greater even than Abraham, as is shown by the fact that he received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him. Heb. 7:4, 6, 7. Abraham had the promises of God, yet Melchizedek had the blessing implies superiority of age or rank, as Paul says, "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." Abraham was himself a priest, empowered to offer sacrifices, as were all the patriarchs, yet he was inferior to Melchizedek, "the priest of the Most High God." And from this Paul concludes that the priesthood of Melchizedek was far superior to that of Levi. But what has this to do with tithing? Just this: The Melchizedek priesthood now our priest, but as he is "made a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek," Heb. 6:20; 7:21; Ps. 110:4, we also are under the Melchizedek priesthood, as was Abraham, and therefore we are under obligation to pay tithes, as well as he was. For if it was necessary that those living under the Levitical order should pay tithes, it is far more necessary that we should do so who live under the order of Melchizedek, since the Levitical priesthood itself, in the person of its head, paid tithes to Melchizedek. And this point is enforced by Paul when, evidently referring to Christ, he says: "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." Heb. 7:8.

We have now given sufficient evidence, to think, to show that Christians are under obligation to pay tithes. Other points will be noticed, however, as we consider the various questions that arise in regard to the tithe. The first thing that will claim our attention is the question as to

WHAT THE TITHE IS.

When Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek it is said that "he gave him tithes of all," Gen. 14:20, the "all" referring to the spoil which he had captured from the kings. The remaining nine-tenths, less the amount that the young men that had accompanied him had eaten, Abraham turned over to the king of Sodom. See verses 22-24. It should be particularly borne in mind that the tithe was taken from the whole amount, verse 20, without regard to what may have been taken out, and that the support of the servants while on the march came from the nine-tenths. Since Abraham generously refused to keep anything himself, the king of Sodom received nine-tenths of the spoil, less the portion which Abraham's confederates took.

Another point in connection with this circumstance should not be overlooked. The spoil that Abraham recovered originally belonged to the king of Sodom. Although it was now his, as the king of Sodom himself admitted, verse 21, Abraham refused to consider it so, and persisted in returning it to its original owner, lest he should seem to be under obligation to the king of Sodom. Here is the conversation:—

"And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of Heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made Abram rich; save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me." Gen. 14:21-24.

Now mark, Abraham had sworn that he would not take anything that belonged to the king of Sodom, except the portion for the young men, and yet he took out one-tenth to give to Melchizedek. What does this show? It shows that Abraham regarded the tenth as belonging solely to God, no matter in whose hands it might be. The king of Sodom had never paid any tithe on this property, and so Abraham, when it came into his possession, promptly gave the Lord his tithe. And in so doing he acted perfectly consistent with his determination to restore to the king of Sodom all his property; for the tithe had always been the Lord's, and the king of Sodom had never had any just claim on it.

We come down about one hundred and twenty-five years, and we find Jacob fleeing from his brother Esau, as recorded in Gen. 28. One night on his journey he slept and dreamed that he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending. It was here that God renewed the promise that he had made to Abraham and Isaac. When Jacob awoke, his heart was touched, and he felt solemn. The result is stated in the following words:—

"And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee." Gen. 28:20-22.

It is worthy of note that Jacob's past life had been very faulty. It was in consequence of his deceptions that he was now fleeing for his life. And now when he turns to the Lord, and resolves to serve him henceforth the first thing in his mind is that he will pay tithes. Surely Jacob must have had some instruction as to the importance of tithing, even though he may not have carried it out heretofore. Some persons seem inclined to sneer at this vow of Jacob's, and say that he was trying to make a sharp bargain with the Lord. Such an idea can only come from a very superficial reading of this chapter. When Jacob said, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go," etc., he was only repeating what the Lord had already promised, verse 15: "And behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land." This, with the two preceding verses, was a great promise on the Lord's part; and Jacob, filled with gratitude, solemnly entered into a covenant with God, promising to serve him; and in the promised service the payment of tithes occupies a prominent place.

But now to the main point, as to what the tithe is. Read again verses 20-22, already quoted. Upon how much of the property that he might receive did Jacob promise to pay tithe? Answer: "Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." And now notice particularly that Jacob did not say that he would first pay his expenses—provide himself with food and clothing, and then give a tithe of the remainder to the Lord. Not at all. Read verse 20, and you will see that Jacob did not expect to amass great wealth in Syria; all he asked for was bread to eat and raiment to put on; and this was the "all," of which he promised to give a tenth to the Lord. According to his word, if he had earned only a bare living, one tenth of it was to be returned to the Lord.

From these two cases, then, we may learn that before we use any part of our income, even for the absolute necessities of life, we must take out a tenth of the whole for the Lord. We have also direct testimony to this effect, in these words: "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase." Prov. 3:9. Many persons who believe it is their duty to pay a tithe, fail to give the Lord all that is his due. We may rob God by withholding a part of the tithe as well as by withholding the whole. When, through the prophet Malachi, God accuses the people of robbing him in tithes and in offerings, he says, "Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house." Mal. 3:10. We cannot effect a compromise with God, and satisfy him with the performance of only a part of our duty.

E. J. W.

An Explanation.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

By Eld. S. N. Haskell.

It may be interesting to our friends who so liberally donated to remove the debt existing upon the San Francisco and Oakland meeting-houses, to know how the matter stands, and also to learn whether these churches appreciated the help bestowed, and have been faithful to contribute their tithes to the California Conference.

It is well understood that all the money paid into the Conference fund, either by donation or as tithes, is used exclusively for the support of the ministry, and the expenses connected therewith. When the meeting-houses in San Francisco and Oakland were erected, the cause in the State was comparatively feeble, and it was thought advisable, as our brethren were poor and these cities a missionary ground, to give all they could raise to pay the interest on money borrowed, and the running expenses of the meeting-houses. Those working in the Office at Oakland donated liberally of their wages. In fact nearly all sacrificed, to a large extent, their income, and were obliged to do this in order to retain the houses of worship.

It was in the year 1881, at the Sacramento camp-meeting, when the prospect that the number of laborers in the State would be increased, and the tithes of these churches would be needed to support ministers, that the brethren proposed to lift the debt on the meeting-houses. Previous to this time the Oakland Church had decided that whatever might be the consequences, they would venture to put all their tithes, which amounted to $2,000 a year, into the Conference.

It was supposed at that time, without making particular inquiry, that $10,000 would liquidate the entire indebtedness of these two houses, but it has since been ascertained that $12,000 would be required. It was presented to our brethren that $10,000 would be sufficient to remove the indebtedness. Without any knowledge on the part of these churches, thirty-seven of the friends of the cause in the State pledged $10,000, one half to be paid in 1882 and the other at the fall camp-meeting of 1883.

In looking over the various pledges we find that seventeen of those that pledged did pay their entire pledges in 1882, to the amount of $2,830; thirteen paid a portion of their pledges, to the amount of $3,050; seven have paid nothing on the pledges; six who did not pledge have paid $102.50; thus making the entire amount received $5,982.50. There are therefore over $4,000 in pledges yet unpaid. The mortgage upon the Oakland church has already been due to the Bank of Savings, but they have kindly consented to let it remain until the time of camp-meeting. The mortgage is $3,000. It will therefore be necessary that our brethren who have pledged to this enterprise make a payment, if possibly consistent, about the time of camp-meeting. We believe that this move was in a right direction.

We cannot state exactly what the tithes of these churches have been during the past year, but during the past six months the tithes in the Oakland Church have been over $1,700; and if in the six months to come they receive as much as the past six months, it will amount to not less than $3,500 during 1883. Thus it will be seen that these churches have appreciated the aid the brethren have given them, and the tithe instead of diminishing has increased during the past two years $1,500 in this church alone since they paid it exclusively to the Conference. The cause never could have advanced as it has during the past few years without the aid of the tithe from these two churches.

Any one wishing to aid in removing the balance of the indebtedness on these churches, which is about $2,000, can be assured that it will be appreciated at this important time. The expense for janitor, gas, etc., for the Oakland church is about $300 more than is received from rents on the church. These facts will give the friends of the cause in California an idea of how this matter stands. When they built the sanctuary in the wilderness and when Solomon built the temple, also when it was repaired by Josiah, the tithe was not used for that purpose, but there was great liberality, even to bringing precious stones which were in the hands of the children of Israel.

The Missionary.

By S. N. Haskell.

Persecutions of the Waldenses.

“Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine Mountains cold.

\ \ \ in thy book record their groans

Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold, Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that rolled Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans The vales redoubled to the hills, and they To heaven.”—Milton.

IT was the early part of the fourteenth century that marks the earliest dates of the martyr-history of this people. Persecution had already done its work in different parts of Europe. Pope John XXII. was desirous of carrying forward the work of Innocent III., and he ordered inquisitors to repair to the valleys of Lucerna and Perosa, and in this effort persecution reached the Waldensian Church. The Waldensian Church was strong at this time, and a knowledge of their faith was very extensive. They had sown seed before this that was now springing up, and thousands were embracing the truth of the gospel. Many of them hardly knew how they had first become interested. The different popes put forth special efforts to exterminate these religious people.

The closing days of the year 1400 witnessed a terrible tragedy, the memory of which has not been obliterated by the many greater persecutions which have followed it. It was on Christmas, when the Waldenses felt perfectly secure,—thought that they were sufficiently protected by the snows that lay deep upon the mountains; and by their secluded position; but they were destined to experience the bitter fact that the rigors of the season had not quenched the fire of their persecutors' malice. At the head of an armed troop Borelli broke suddenly upon them, designing to destroy them en masse. These poor people fled to the mountains, “carrying on their shoulders their old men, their sick, and their infants, knowing what fate awaited them should they leave them behind. In their flight a great many were overtaken and slain. Night-fall brought them deliverance from the pursuit, but no deliverance from horrors no less dreadful.” They encamped on a summit which has ever since, in memory of the event, borne the name of Alberge, or Refuge.

“Without shelter, without food, the frozen snow around them, the winter's sky overhead; their sufferings were inexpressibly great. When morning broke, what a heart-rending spectacle did day disclose! Some of the miserable group lost their hands and feet from frost-bite; while others were stretched out on the snow, stiffened corpses. Fifty young children, some say eighty, were found dead of cold, some lying on the bare ice, others locked in the frozen arms of their mothers, who had perished on that dreadful night along with their babes.” To-day the descendants of this people will tell the story.

Many were kidnapped by the inquisitors, who were ever on the track for them, or waylaid, whenever they ventured down into the plain of Piedmont, and were carried to Turin and other towns, and burned alive. But notwithstanding this terrible onslaught their numbers were not thinned by apostasy from the faith; their constancy was not shaken; they still refused to enter the Roman Church. They had been prepared by their early education for all kinds of torturings and burnings, and they offered a resistance as unyielding as the rocks of their mountains to the tempests of hail and snow which the whirlwinds of winter hurled against them.

In the fifteenth century another great blow was meditated. Plan after plan was devised to purge the valleys of this heresy. No accusation could ever be brought against them as being lawless, idle, dishonest, or disorderly. Their only fault was that they did not worship as Pope Innocent worshiped. A bull was issued against them in 1487, inviting all Catholics to take up arms against the heretics; and to stimulate them in this pious work, it “absolved from all ecclesiastical pains and penalties, general and particular; it released all who joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken; it legitimated their title to any property they might have illegally acquired; and promised remission of all their sins to such as should kill any heretic. It annulled all contracts made in favor of Vaudois, ordered their domestics to abandon them, forbade all persons to give them any aid whatever, and empowered all persons to take possession of their property.”

This granted a pardon to all, and an unrestrained license to kill, plunder, or commit any wickedness against the humble worshipers of God in the mountains. This bull was talked of in all countries. It was not only on these mountains that this warfare was to be carried, but it was on the Waldensian race, wherever dispersed, in any part of Europe. All kings were invited to gird on the sword and come to the help of the Church. “Wherever a Vaudois foot trod, the soil was polluted and had to be cleansed; wherever a Vaudois breathed, the air was tainted and must be purified; wherever Vaudois psalm or prayer ascended, there was the infection of heresy, and around the spot a cordon must be drawn to protect the spiritual health of the district.”

A joint army of 18,000 regular soldiers was raised, and this number was greatly enlarged even by thousands of ruffians that flocked together, stimulated by the temporal rewards to be earned in this work of combined piety and pillage. This army was divided, to fall upon the Waldenses from two main avenues to their territory. A terrible slaughter followed this effort. Thousands of these innocent people retreated to the caves and dens of the earth, only to find these caves and dens to be their graves; for their persecutors, having found them in a cave, would build a fire at its mouth, so that a large volume of black smoke would roll into the cave, leaving the unhappy inmates to the miserable alternative of remaining in the interior to be stifled by this smoke, or to pass out through it into the hands of their persecutors. “When one large cavern was afterwards examined,” says Mr. Muston, “there were found in it 400 infants, suffocated in their cradles, or in the arms of their dead mothers. Altogether there perished in this cavern more than 3,000 Vaudois, including the entire population of Val Loyse.”

The property of these unfortunates was distributed to the vagabonds who accompanied the army; and to describe the persecutions that came upon these Christians at this time would only be stating the most terrible suffering that could be brought upon any class of people who fell into the hands of devils clothed with flesh. Another writer says: “Combustible materials were piled up, and fires kindled at the mouth of these hiding-places, and when extinguished all was silent within. Folded together in one motionless heap lay mother and

babe, patriarch and stripling; while the fatal smoke which had cast them into that deep sleep was eddying along the roof and slowly making its exit into the clear sun-lit summer sky.”

But this terrible persecution was brought to a sudden halt, for the inhabitants took heart, and finally turned upon their murderers and drove them from their valley, exacting a heavy penalty for the ravages they had committed in it.

S. N. HASKELL.

Placer, Nevada, and El Dorado Counties.

By Chas. C. Ramsey

ON the way from Fresno County to my appointments in the northeast, I stopped at Sacramento, Rocklin, Newcastle, and Auburn. With two or three exceptions, I visited every family of Sabbath-keepers in these places. I presented to them the interests of our College, and found them in hearty sympathy with an enterprise which gives so great promise of becoming a powerful auxiliary in the advancement of the truth. I also endeavored to encourage them to press forward with the whole armor on and endure faithfully to the end. A deep interest was manifested in the progress of the message and the prosperity of all the institutions of the cause. At some of these places, I met several whom I would like to see in attendance at our college, preparing themselves for greater usefulness in the cause of God. I trust that the way may open for them to come.

Many of the Sabbath-keepers in these places are sisters, and labor under the disadvantage of strong opposition, but nearly all who have accepted the truth have held on firmly and are of good courage in the Lord. I earnestly hope that all of them may advance with the opening providence of God, keep abreast of the increasing light of truth, lay aside all worldliness and unbelief, and engage more actively in the spread of our solemn message of warning to a perishing world.

Sabbath July 7, I filled my appointment for Grass Valley and Nevada City, holding two meetings at the former place. At the forenoon meeting, the solemn time in which we live and the important duties and grave responsibilities of the present hour were pointed out from the Scriptures. A good degree of interest in the word spoken was evinced by all present.

The afternoon meeting was devoted to a consideration of the character and workings of Healdsburg College and its important relations to the cause of God. In the social meeting which followed, it was evident that our brethren and sisters here appreciate the efforts put forth in the establishment of the school. Deep love for the truth and an earnest desire for sanctification through it were expressed by all. The Lord has precious souls here, and I greatly enjoyed my short visit among them. The chief occupation of the people is mining, the business being carried on generally by wealthy companies who give employment to large numbers. Notwithstanding that this is their only source of obtaining a living, our brethren have bravely and firmly held on to the truth. The Lord will richly bless them if they thus continue faithfully to endure.

During my visit at the homes of our brethren in Nevada City, the deep and heartfelt interest which they manifested in the College was truly gratifying. Their circumstances being such that they could not just then give ready money, gold watches and chains were taken from their persons and freely given to be sold for the benefit of the school. May God bless them in their cheerful sacrifices for his cause.

Tuesday night, July 10, I met with our people at Placerville, El Dorado Co. The meeting was devoted exclusively to the interests of the College. I was glad to see so deep an interest in the school as was here manifested. In visiting the brethren and sisters at their homes, I found several who greatly desire to attend, and others who ought to be receiving the benefits of its instruction and training. I shall expect to see students from this place at no distant day. There are earnest souls in this company, those who expect to go through to the kingdom of God. I pray that they may all press together and become unitedly consecrated to God in his glorious cause. He has rich blessings in store for them if they put on the whole armor, fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life.

This was my last visit among the churches. After an absence of six weeks, having met with seventeen companies of our brethren and sisters, and traveled a distance of thirteen hundred miles, I reached home July 13, rejoicing that God had so mercifully preserved my life throughout so long a journey. Whether good has been accomplished through the feeble efforts put forth, I feel that personally I have derived a great blessing in the labor performed, and am grateful to God that I am permitted to bear some humble part in his cause.

CHAS. C. RAMSEY.

Healdsburg College, Aug. 1.

A Great Sinner and Saviour

When John Newton’s memory was nearly gone, he used to say that, forget what he might, there were two things he never could forget. They were that he was a great sinner, and that Jesus Christ was a great Saviour.

THE TIRED FOOT.

The potter stood at his daily work, One patient foot on the ground; The other, with never-slackening speed, Turning his swift wheel round. Silent, we stood beside him there, Watching the restless knee, Till my friend said low, in pitying voice, "How tired his foot must be!"

The potter never paused in his work, Shaping the wondrous thing; 'Twas only a common flower-pot, But perfect in fashioning. Slowly he raised his patient eyes, With homely truth inspired: "No, marm; it isn't the foot that kicks; The one that stands gets tired!" — The Continent.

San Jose.

By W. M. Healey

OUR meetings here have not been accompanied by that spirit of intense interest which we sometimes see in places where the people are eager to hear. Many here have heard something of our faith, and try to think that it does not matter whether they do just as the Lord says or not; that they will be excused if they do break His law. But some have thankfully received the pure "word" and are rejoicing in it. Twenty-six have signed the covenant, including a few who have been keeping the Sabbath for some years past. Our Sabbath meetings are quite interesting. The attendance averaging about thirty adults, and a number of children. We have hope that the camp-meeting will result in good to the cause here. Brethren Wm. Ings, Henry Scott, and Sister Alta Morrison, with my wife, are still here to follow up the missionary work. The other workers have returned to the school, except Bro. Frank Lamb, who is at San Juan, laboring to build up the work there.

W. M. HEALEY.

August 3, 1883.

The Call for Workers.

By Uriah Smith

THE first and abiding impulse of a converted soul is to help his fellows. In this way the gospel began. After Jesus, the great Shepherd, had come down to give his life a ransom for the world, John pointed two of his disciples to him as the Lamb of God. They followed him. One of these was Andrew, and he first went to his brother Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. The next day Jesus found Philip, and enlisted him in his service. And the first work of Philip was to hunt up Nathaniel, and bring him in.

So it has been, and so it must be. Those who have been made recipients of the truth must make it known to others. He who sits idly by, and sees his fellow-men go down to ruin, without an effort to save them, is not cultivating the Spirit of Christ and is not preparing to enter into the joy of his Lord.

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever."

Shall we let the present opportunities pass, and the stars which we might secure fade from our crowns of rejoicing, and the crowns themselves fall from our grasp, and the kingdom recede from our reach, and life and all its joys be lost forever?

You answer, No; but the answer, to be effectual, must be, not in words only, but in works also.

"O God, my inmost soul convert, And deeply on my thoughtful heart Eternal things impress. Cause me to feel their solemn weight, And tremble on the brink of fate, And wake to righteousness."

U. S.

The Antioch Plan of Giving

How they raised money at Antioch for the suffering Christians of Jerusalem, affords a beautiful illustration of simplicity of giving. It would be well for Christian churches of to-day if the Antioch plan were made the standard, to be closely and undeviatingly followed. We do not read of a fair, or festival, or even a popular course of lectures. “Every man according to his ability, determined to send relief.” That is the whole story as to the method. “Which also they did, and sent it,” completes the record. Many a church would be saved from spiritual declension, not to say absolute poverty, by adhering to the Antioch plan.—Baptist Teacher.

Luxury and Vice

"Luxury, my lords, is to be taxed, but vice prohibited."—Lord Chesterfield.

California Tract and Missionary Society.

REPORT FOR QUARTER ENDING JULY 1, 1883.

Districts	No. of Members	Reports Returned	Members Added	Members Dismissed	Missionary Visits	Letters Written	Signs taken in clubs	Review	Signs	Good Health	Instructor	Other Periodicals
No. 1	143	30	3	2	893	166	285	4	226
No. 2	94	31	4	1	175	243	175	6	61	3	2
No. 3	80	39		4	70	49	149		4	1
No. 4	25	8	2		144	49	67		10
No. 5	103	34	2	1	62	109	148	4	12		11	1
No. 6	13	6			4	20	23		1
No. 7	136	44	4		155	288	514		35	3	4	15
No. 8	83	50		1	2194	184	201	2	40	2		5
No. 9	21	15			68	22	23
Ships					396		50
Total	698	257	15	9	4161	1130	1635	16	389	9	17	21

Districts	Pages tracts and pamphlets	Periodicals	Membership and Donation	Sales	Periodicals	Total
No. 1	31210	1834	$ 89 05	$ 8 10	$ 73 37	$170 52
No. 2	41266	1173	93 65	40 00	98 60	232 25
No. 3	11586	2083	26 60	5 25	7 00	38 85
No. 4	5315	438	1 65	8 25	14 80	24 70
No. 5	14566	2657	21 20	13 95	138 60	172 75
No. 6	12432	300	3 00		6 00	9 00
No. 7	50592	4770	40 30	1 75	125 90	167 95
No. 8	33706	2596	33 55	10 60	49 15	93 30
No. 9	5230	227	13 30	28 30	10 50	52 10
Ships	26990	2551	20 00	25 50		45 50
Total	237893	18629	$342 30	$141 70	$523 92	$1007 92

State Missionary Work Report

By Alice Morrison

The State quarterly meeting was omitted, as so many general meetings were held in the spring; it is also the time of harvest, when many are busy taking care of their crops, and consequently could not attend. Blanks were sent out at the usual time; and the above is a summary of the missionary work, as returned from the districts. A report was received from every district, and only in a few instances have the churches failed to report. There is also a decided increase in the amount of labor performed, which would be expected from the increased interest in reporting.

Over $1,000 have been received from the societies; and the standing of the districts is as follows: District No. 1 owes the State Society $259.27; No. 2 owes $339.85; No. 3 owes $238.66; No. 4 owes $79.38; No. 5 owes $86.24; No. 6 owes $53.91; No. 7 owes $392.65; No. 8 owes $18.68; No. 9 owes $58.94.

The ship mission is also considerably in debt, as opening the mission rooms, and supplying the library has cost more than was expected. Of the $2,000 called for, $1763.75 has been pledged to be paid at the fall camp-meeting; and $634.25 has already been paid. Commodious rooms have been secured for the mission at 316 Fremont Street, San Francisco. The report shows the number of ships visited, and the amount of publications placed on board. Some omens for good have already been seen, and four persons were baptized, not long since, as the result of ship missionary work.

The resolution adopted at the last meeting, recommending the plan of securing subscribers to the SIGNS for one month has been tried, and not without success. Some of the students from Healdsburg school have been engaged in this work during vacation, and as the result over 900 subscriptions have been taken. One brother in Nevada obtained 273 subscribers in less than five weeks.

We should take courage as we see the cause of present truth advancing, and do our part, that the “well done” may be said to us.

ALICE MORRISON, Sec.

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