THE history of first-day observance in the Christian church may be fitly illustrated by that of the bishops of Rome. The Roman bishop now claims supreme power over all the churches of Christ. He asserts that this power was given to Peter, and by him was transmitted to the bishops of Rome; or rather that Peter was the first Roman bishop, and that a succession of such bishops from his time to the present have exercised this absolute power in the church. They are able to trace back their line to apostolic times, and they assert that the power now claimed by the pope was claimed and exercised by the first pastors of the church of the Romans. Those who now acknowledge the supremacy of the pope believe this assertion, and with them it is conclusive evidence that the pope is by divine right possessed of supreme power. But the assertion is absolutely false. The early pastors, or bishops, or elders, of the church of the Romans were modest, unassuming ministers of Christ, wholly unlike the arrogant bishop of Rome, who now usurps the place of Christ as the head of the Christian church.
The first day of the week now claims to be the Christian Sabbath, and enforces its authority by means of the fourth commandment, having set aside the seventh day, which that commandment enjoins, and usurped its place. Its advocates assert that this position and this authority were given to it by Christ. As no record of such gift is found in the Scriptures, the principal argument in its support is furnished by tracing first-day observance back to the early Christians, who, it is said, would not have hallowed the day if they had not been instructed to do it by the apostles; and the apostles would not have taught them to do it if Christ had not, in their presence, changed the Sabbath.
But first-day observance can be traced no nearer to apostolic times than A. D. 140, while the bishops of Rome can trace their line to the very times of the apostles. Herein is the papal claim to apostolic authority better than is that of the first-day Sabbath. But with this exception, the historical argument in behalf of each is the same. Both began with very moderate pretentions, and gradually gaining in power and sacredness, grew up in strength together.
Let us now go to those who were the earliest observers of Sunday and learn from them the nature of that observance at its commencement. We shall find, first, that no one claimed for first-day observance any divine authority; second, that none of them had ever heard of the change of the Sabbath, and none believed the first-day festival to be a continuation of the Sabbatic institution; third, that labor on that day is never set forth as sinful, and that abstinence from labor is never mentioned as a feature of its observance, nor even implied, only so far as necessary in order to spend a portion of the day in worship; fourth, that if we put together all the hints respecting Sunday observance, which are scattered through the fathers of the first three centuries, for no one of them gives more than two of these, and generally a single hint is all that is found in one writer, we shall find just four items: (1) an assembly on that day, in which the Bible was read and expounded, and the supper celebrated, and money collected; (2) that the day must be one of rejoicing; (3) that it must not be a day of fasting; (4) that the knee must not be bent in prayer on that day.
The following are all the hints respecting the nature of first-day observance during the first three centuries. The epistle falsely ascribed to Barnabas simply says: "We keep the eighth day with joyfulness." Justin Martyr describes the kind of meeting which they held at Rome and in that vicinity on that day, and this is all that he connects with its observance. Irenæus taught that to commemorate the resurrection, the knee must not be bent on that day, and mentions nothing else as essential to its honor. This act of standing in prayer was a symbol of the resurrection, which was to be celebrated only on that day, as he held. Bardesanes the Gnostic represents the Christians as everywhere451meeting for worship on that day, but he does not describe that worship, and he gives no other honor to that day. Tertullian describes Sunday observance as follows: "We devote Sunday to rejoicing;" and he adds, "We have some resemblance to those of you who devote the day of Saturn to ease and luxury." In another work he gives us a further idea of the festive character of Sunday. Thus he says to his brethren: "If any indulgence is to be granted to the flesh, you have it. I will not say your own days, but more too; for to the heathens each festive day occurs but once annually; you have a festive day every eighth day." Dr. Heylyn spoke the truth when he said:—
"Tertullian tells us that they did devote the Sunday partly unto mirth and recreation, not to devotion altogether; when in a hundred years after Tertullian's time there was no law or constitution to restrain men from labor on this day in the Christian church."
The Sunday festival in Tertullian's time was not like the modern first-day Sabbath, but was essentially the German festival of Sunday, a day for worship and for recreation, and one on which labor was not sinful.
But Tertullian speaks further respecting Sunday observance, and the words now to be quoted have been used as proof that labor on that day was counted sinful. This is the only statement that can be found prior to Constantine's Sunday law that has such an appearance, and the proof is decisive that such was not its meaning. Here are his words:—
"We, however (just as we have received), only on the day of the Lord's resurrection, ought to guard, not only against kneeling, but every posture and office of solicitude, deferring even our businesses, lest we give any place to the devil. Similarly, too, in the period of Pentecost; which period we distinguish by the same solemnity of exultation."
He speaks of "deferring even our businesses;" but this does not necessarily imply anything more than its postponement during the hours devoted to religious services. It falls very short of saying that labor on Sunday is a sin. But we will quote Tertullian's next mention of Sunday observance before noticing further the words last quoted. Thus he says:—
"We count fasting or kneeling in worship on the Lord's day to be unlawful. We rejoice in the same privilege also from Easter to Whitsunday."
These two things, fasting and kneeling, are the only acts which the fathers set down as unlawful on Sunday, unless, indeed, mourning may be included by some in the list. It is certain that labor is never thus mentioned. And observe that Tertullian repeats the important statement of the previous quotation that the honor due to Sunday pertains also to the "period of Pentecost," that is, to the fifty days between Easter or Passover and Whitsunday or Pentecost. If, therefore, labor on Sunday was in Tertullian's estimation sinful, the same was true for the period of Pentecost, a space of fifty days! But this is not possible. We can conceive of the deferral of business for one religious assembly each day for fifty days, and also that men should neither fast nor kneel during that time, which was precisely what the religious celebration of Sunday actually was. But to make Tertullian assert that labor on Sunday was a sin is to make him declare that such was the case for fifty days together, which no one will venture to say was the doctrine of Tertullian.
In another work Tertullian gives us one more statement respecting the nature of Sunday observance: "We make Sunday a day of festivity. What then? Do you do less than this?" His language is very extraordinary when it is considered that he was addressing heathen. It seems that Sunday as a Christian festival was so similar to the festival which these heathen observed that he could challenge them to show wherein the Christians went further than did these heathen whom he here addressed.
The next father who gives us the nature of early Sunday observance is Peter of Alexandria. He says: "But the Lord's day we celebrate as a day of joy, because on it he rose again, on which day we have received it for a custom not even to bow the knee." He marks two things essential. It must be a day of joy, and Christians must not kneel on that day. Zonaras, an ancient commentator on these words of Peter, explains the day of joy by saying, "We ought not to fast; for it is a day of joy for the resurrection of the Lord." Next in order, we quote the so-called Apostolic Constitutions. These command Christians to assemble for worship every day, "but principally on the Sabbath day. And on the day of our Lord's resurrection, which is the Lord's day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God," etc. The object of assembling was "to hear the saving word concerning the resurrection," to "pray thrice standing," to have the prophets read, to have preaching and also the supper. These "Constitutions" not only give the nature of the worship on Sunday as just set forth, but they also give us an idea of Sunday as a day of festivity:—
"Now we exhort you, brethren and fellow-servants, to avoid vain talk and obscene discourses, and jestings, drunkenness, lasciviousness, luxury, unbounded passions, with foolish discourses, since we do not permit you so much as on the Lord's days, which are days of joy, to speak or act anything unseemly."
This language plainly implies that the so-called Lord's day was a day of greater mirth than the other days of the week. Even on the Lord's day they must not speak or act anything unseemly, though it is evident that their license on that day was greater than on other days. Once more these "Constitutions" give us the nature of Sunday observance: "Every Sabbath day excepting one, and every Lord's day hold your solemn assemblies, and rejoice; for he will be guilty of sin who fasts on the Lord's day." But no one can read so much as once that "he is guilty of sin who performs work on this day."
Next week we will continue the examination.
J. N. A.
THE CAMP-MEETING AT CENTRAL CITY, NEBRASKA.
By Geo. I. Butler
THIS meeting, held Sept. 23–28, in a grove on an island in Platte river, three miles from the above-named place, was the annual Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists of Nebraska. Some two hundred and fifty were present. This State is not favorable for camp-meetings, because of the scarcity of timber, there being very few suitable places near the towns. Nebraska is a vast prairie plain, with very little timber, except what skirts the streams, and little enough of that.
There has been quite a rapid growth of our denomination in this State, not only because the ministers of the Conference are laboring earnestly to bring people to see the importance of the truth, but because many have settled here from other States who were previously believers. There is a good class of sober, industrious people, settling in Nebraska. It is a good field in which to labor. The attendance of those not of our faith was not large, it being too great a distance from town, and there having been a soldier’s reunion only a day or two before our meeting commenced, which thousands attended.
Our meetings were profitable. The preaching was plain, and practical, and intended to show the necessity of earnest devotion, and the importance of bearing the fruits of the Spirit of God, —“love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance,” and in short, what it is to be a Christian, truly a follower of Jesus Christ. No pretense of doing this will answer; the reality must appear. In this age of the world, when popularity has nearly taken the churches, and the “love of many has waxed cold,” when the “form of godliness without the power,” prevails everywhere, we find it necessary to thoroughly instruct the people in the fundamental principles of the Christian religion, and show them that nothing will answer in place of this.
We must “do justly, love mercy, and walk with God.” The necessity and nature of true conversion must be fully presented. “Except ye be converted, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Rather an interesting incident, illustrative of this course, occurred at our meeting. A Congregationalist minister, living near, attended many of our meetings. He had become a believer in the final destruction of the wicked. Because he could not see and preach the beauties of eternal torment, his support was cut off, and he was forced to labor otherwise for a livelihood. Near the close of our meeting, he came to us to obtain facts and statistics concerning our people, as he wished to write a report of our meeting to secular papers of which he was a correspondent. He stated that he came to our meeting, supposing we were nearly infidels, but was surprised and pleased to find himself mistaken. He stated that he formerly lived at Oberlin, Ohio, when President Finney was laboring so earnestly, and the college was founded there. He said the earnestness of our preaching reminded him of that, and that he had not heard such kind of preaching for many years.
We were not foolish enough to take his remarks as complimentary to the preachers, but simply as illustrative of the condition of things in the religious world. Our opposers sedulously endeavor to make the people believe we are about like infidels in our views, and are not sound in religion; while the fact is, that this is a genuine religious reformation, calling the people back to the old paths, and earnestly pleading with them to give their hearts to God, as a preparation for the coming of Christ.
On the Sabbath, fully two-thirds of the congregation came forward for prayers, and many good testimonies were borne. On Monday also, God’s blessing came very near us while pleading with the people to consecrate themselves to God. Five were baptized by Eld. Boyd. We had a precious parting meeting Tuesday morning, closing up with the ordination of Bro. A. J. Cudney to the gospel ministry, by the laying on of hands and solemn prayer. The sweet and melting influence of God’s Spirit rested upon us, and many were in tears. Hearts were softened before him. We felt that this step was owned of God. May God make him a very useful man.
GEO. I. BUTLER.
Kansas City, Mo., Sept. 29, 1880.
THE OLD TESTAMENT.
By S. B. Whitney
IT seems surprising how far the advocates of error are sometimes carried in their blind zeal to defend their favorite, but erroneous, theories from the force of simple, unadulterated truth. An illustration of this is the notion, becoming so prevalent, that the teachings of the Old Testament are not to be received as Christian doctrine, or even moral instruction; some contending that it is the old covenant, and others asserting that it has no more connection with salvation than an almanac or spelling book.
As one of the "Two Witnesses" is thus slandered and impeached, a word in its defense may not be amiss. And by way of introduction, the following from Mrs. H. B. Stowe is in point: "It is too much the fashion of this day to speak slightly of the Old Testament. Apart from its grandeur, its purity, its tenderness and majesty, the Old Testament has a peculiar interest to the Christian from the fact that it was the BIBLE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." This fact alone is forcible, and entitles the book to our respect and confidence, but its force is heightened by a consideration of how our Lord himself regarded it. He says, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me. . . . For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John 5:39, 46, 47.
This must, of course, refer to the Old Testament, as does the following: "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned; and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 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. 3:14-17.
Paul also declares that the gospel was "promised afore by His prophets in the Holy Scriptures," and "now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." Rom. 1:2; 16:25. Such testimonies as the above show that the Old Testament is very closely related to the subject of salvation, modern sectarian partisans to the contrary, notwithstanding.
The New Testament was not given to take the place of the Old, but to illustrate and enforce its practical instruction, making such additions as the change of dispensation required, and to furnish a record of the fulfillment of many of its wonderful predictions. Indeed, much of the New Testament would be without force and meaningless had we not the Old containing the predictions of which the events recorded in the New are cited as fulfillments. The same may be said of other allusions to the Old Testament. For instance, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." How much of the force of this beautiful figure would be lost had we not the historical account of the event and its452attending circumstances.
Such instances are numerous; and thus it is shown that the "Two Witnesses" are united and harmonious in their testimony; and happy is the man who gives such heed to them as to be made wise unto salvation, and, by keeping the "commandments of God and the faith of Jesus," escapes the impending judgments threatened by both upon the ungodly of this generation.
S. B. WHITNEY.
YE AND WE.
BECAUSE our Saviour said, "When ye shall see these things," it is claimed that the disciples then present were to see the predicted signs, and consequently that all was fulfilled in their day. But the signs did not appear in their days; consequently the ye is addressed to those living at the present time, when they have been seen.
Speaking of the second advent, and the resurrection of the just, Paul says, "We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord," the simple meaning of which is those Christians that shall be alive at that time.
But to excuse themselves for not believing that the advent is near, now since the signs of it have appeared, it is claimed that the apostles and primitive church expected it in their day. Why? Because Paul says, "We which are alive," etc. The objector will not see that Paul cautioned the church of that day not to believe that it would come in their day, because the apostasy and the man of sin must come first. They cannot understand that the apostles were prophets, and that some of their writings are to have their fulfillment long after their generation should have passed away.
To be consistent with themselves, they must hold that Isaiah who prophesied seven hundred years before Christ, had a personal participation in the things which he describes thus: "When we shall see him," "We hid as it were our faces from him," "He was despised, and we esteemed him not." But Isaiah did not live to take a personal part in rejecting and crucifying the Christ. These predictions were fulfilled by the Jews when Christ appeared. Even so, the words of Paul are about to be fulfilled: "We which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord," etc.
THE CAUSE IN CALIFORNIA.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
OUR good camp-meeting is in the past, and those who attended it have returned to their homes much encouraged. If not encouraged, the fault must have been their own; for those who took an interest in seeking God, realized more or less the presence of his holy Spirit. The restraining influence of his Spirit upon everything that would cause confusion, the interest to hear the truth manifested on the part of those not of our faith, the reclaiming of backsliders, and the stand many took to connect themselves with the cause of present truth, indicated, stronger than language could express, the willingness on the part of the Lord to work for his people.
The important question now with us is, Will we acknowledge God in this, move forward, and see of his salvation? Will this meeting be of lasting benefit to the cause in this State? We cannot think otherwise. The coming year should be the most successful one that this Conference has ever witnessed. This can, and will be the case, if each acts well his part. We serve the living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and he will lead his people to greater victories than ever before experienced, if we faithfully follow his opening providence.
1. Extra efforts should be put forth in the missionary work. We should seek for greater devotion, and more of the spirit of Christ in the efforts put forth. Our Vigilant Missionary Societies should labor with greater diligence to spread the knowledge of the truth, by sending the rays of light to those portions of the country and world where the inhabitants have not heard of the soon-coming King.
The volumes of "Spirit of Prophecy," with our other publications, should be in every family of our brethren in the Conference. Daily family reading should be established wherever it is consistent. This will prove a great blessing. Efforts should be made by our ministers and tract officers to bring this about. The truths we profess should become familiar to us. These publications, especially the volumes of "Spirit of Prophecy," will throw great light on the Scriptures, and help us to become familiar with them.
2. A special effort should be made for all our brethren and sisters to become members of the State Tract Society, and labor for the advancement of the truth. Remember the cause of God in your prayers, also your ministers, and those laboring in any sphere. The work of God should be much upon the mind. It should be the theme of conversation.
Of the early church it is said, that when they met, their common salutation was, "The Lord is coming." David says, "I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works." "They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom."
3. The tithe should be regarded with a greater sacredness by many, than heretofore. It should be laid aside from the first-fruits. The figures show that our brethren have done well the past year. Not only should our brethren and sisters having charge of families, sacredly place the tithe in the Lord's treasury, but the children should be taught to realize that God is the giver of every blessing which they receive, and that therefore, an offering should be returned to him. Thus they will learn to acknowledge God in all their ways. We are exceedingly anxious to see this Conference receive all the fullness of the promise recorded in Malachi 3:10-12.
4. The health and temperance work should also be pushed forward the coming year. Each member of the families of our brethren should be represented on the teetotal pledge, and sacredly observe it. Clubs should be organized where they do not already exist, and every consistent means should be resorted to, to make them interesting. Rescue the fallen from the vile habits of tobacco and alcohol, as far as possible. There is almost everything yet to be done, if we, as a people, would stand in the light as it now shines upon us.
5. Hold the vows sacred that were made upon the camp-ground. These were of two classes: One was, to get nearer to God, and be more faithful and devoted to his service; the other was, in making pledges to the tract society reserve fund, and taking shares in the Publishing Association, and life memberships in the General Tract and Missionary Society. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon us, and you did well in making your vows. God accepted them. David says, "Vow and pay." But do not forget them or consider them of no account. When we make a promise to God, and he accepts, it becomes holy, and it is an evil, a source of weakness, to forget its sacredness. "It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry." "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands." See Eccl. 5:1-6; Prov. 20:25; Deut. 23:21-23; Acts 5:1-10.
6. Pray for your ministers; this is important. The apostle Paul depended much upon the prayers of his brethren. We have now a sufficient corps if all prove faithful, and are physically able to run four tents next season. Within one week from the close of our camp-meeting, this number of fields were entered. The future for California, from present indications, looks favorable. The essential thing now is God's blessing. This we can have, if there be one united effort to come near to him. Our interest was never greater for the prosperity of the cause in this State, than now. "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Ps. 31:24. S. N. HASKELL.
DENVER, COLORADO.
By E. R. Jones
Our meeting here has now closed. We have taken down our tent to-day. Have held about fifty services during the six weeks of our stay; the apparent results are not large, but a deep interest has been aroused in the minds of many who have heard. We sold about $30 worth of books. Sabbath, Sept. 11, we repaired to the water the second time, and some were baptized; and still there are quite a number more who will go forward in this ordinance at the first favorable opportunity. A church of twenty-one members has been organized, and every one has adopted the tithing453plan. An elder and deacon were elected. The Sabbath-school is well carried on, and is quite effective. It numbers about thirty members.
All our people here are of good courage, and commence their work in their new relation as a church with zeal and love, fellowship and faith.
Sept. 20. E. R. JONES.
DEPARTING AND BEING WITH CHRIST.
By R. F. Cottrell
THE following good illustration of the language of the apostle, expressing his desire to depart and be with Christ, is found in Gilfillan's work on the Sabbath, p. 450. It is given by Rev. John Jameson of Methven, Scotland. "A man," says Mr. Gilfillan, "at once of high genius, the most saintly character, and the warmest, tenderest heart."
"For some time before his death, his mind on these occasions turned frequently to the doctrine of the resurrection; and at one time, with the view perhaps of apologizing for this, he spoke nearly as follows:—'My children, I never like to dwell long on the thought of death; that is a gloomy subject; my mind is always for bounding off to the bright morning of the resurrection, a morning so full of life, and peace, and joy. Ah! that is the morning which will vanquish death, and swallow up in perfect victory all the ill it has ever done to this poor heart of mine, by tearing asunder the finest ties which bound it to the earth, and sending some of our fairest flowers to the dull, cold grave. Why should death hold so many, all their days, in the bondage of its fear? What is it to die, but just to wink and to be with Christ?' This last thought seemed to dwell in his mind, and to yield him much enjoyment. When, not long before his death, a Christian friend spoke to him rather despondently of the long and weary ages that the body must lie in the grave, he replied in his usual hearty way, 'It is just to-morrow morning; you never think the night long when your sleep is sound.'"
This eminent minister could understand that, to the utterly unconscious, the period of time from death to the resurrection was as nothing; like a wink of the eye, or like the coming of the morning to one whose sleep is sound. It is evident that he saw no necessity for the modern spiritualistic view, that men go to their reward at death. His mind, like Paul's, was "for bounding off to the bright morning of the resurrection." Then the crown is to be given. "Henceforth [from the time the earthly course is finished] there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Neither the apostle, nor Mr. Jameson, looked to death for their reward; but to the resurrection, which should give the victory over death. Yet those whose minds are filled with the idea that the real man escapes death wholly, may still contend that both held the now popular view.
R. F. COTTRELL.
THE SILVER PLATE.
By Margaret J. Preston
They passed it along from pew to pew,
And gathered the coins, now fast, now few,
That rattled upon it; and every time
Some eager fingers would drop a dime
On the silver plate with a silver sound,
A boy who sat in the aisle looked 'round
With a wistful face—"Oh, if only he
Had a dime to offer, how glad he'd be!"
He fumbled his pockets, but didn't dare
To hope he should find a penny there;
And much as he searched, when all was done,
He hadn't discovered a single one.
He had listened with wide-set, earnest eyes,
As the minister, in a plaintive wise,
Had spoken of children all abroad
The world who had never heard of God—
Poor, pitiful pagans who didn't know,
When they came to die, where their souls would go,
And who shrieked with fear, when their mother made
Them kneel to an idol-god—afraid
He might eat them up—so fierce and wild
And horrid he seemed to the frightened child.
"How different," murmured the boy, while his
Lips trembled, "how different Jesus is!"
And the more the minister talked, the more
The boy's heart ached to its inner core;
And the nearer to him the silver plate
Kept coming, the harder seemed his fate
That he hadn't a penny (had that sufficed)
To give that the heathen might hear of Christ;
But all at once, as the silver sound,
Just tinkled beside him, the boy looked 'round,
And they offered the piled-up plate to him,
And he blushed, and his eyes began to swim.
Then bravely turning, as if he knew
There was nothing better that he could do,
He spoke, in a voice that held a tear,
"Put the plate on the bench beside me here."
And the plate was placed, for they thought he meant
To empty his pockets of every cent,
But he stood straight up, and softly put
Right square in the midst of the plate—his foot,
And said, with a sob controlled before,
"I will give MYSELF—I have nothing more!"
—Margaret J. Preston.
Temperance.
THE MAJOR'S CIGAR.
"How are you quartermaster?"
"Well, Major, is that you? How are you?"
We met at a railway junction, and, if he had not spoken first, I should not have recognized my Virginia comrade of '64. It was not merely the disguise of a silk hat and shaven cheeks, but—as I told him, after we had chatted a little about each other's ups and downs since the war—I was sure this was the first time I ever saw him, away from the table, without a cigar in his mouth.
"Haven't smoked any for five years," was his reply. "I'm 'down' on tobacco as thoroughly as you ever were."
"Good! Tell me about it."
We locked arms and sauntered up and down the platform. Dropping* the dialogue, this was in substance his story:—
"It wasn't a sudden conversion. I never was quite so easy in mind over the habit—when you used to banter me about it—as I pretended to be. I intended, all the time, to taper off when I got home from the army, and not smoke so much. And I did. Smoked less in three weeks than I used to in one. But one summer I went off on some business for our company, which kept me up in the mountains among the charcoal burners, three days longer than I expected. I got out of cigars, and couldn't get any for love or money. In forty-eight hours I was more uncomfortable and unstrung than I ever was before in all my life. I actually borrowed an old Irishman's filthy clay pipe and tried to smoke it. I thought of that miserable summer which we spent crawling about the trenches in Virginia, and I wished I was there again with a cigar in my mouth! Then I began to realize what a shameful bondage I was in to a mere self-indulgence. I—a fellow who secretly prided himself on his self-control, and nerve, and manliness; who never flinched at hard fare or rough weather—a downright slave to a bad habit, unnerved and actually unfit for business for lack of a cigar! It made me mad at myself: I despised myself for my pusillanimity.
"Going into the matter a little further, I found that the money I had spent for cigars in a dozen years would have paid for my house and furnished it; would have met all the bills for my wife's little summer trip to Europe with me, which has been her one air-castle so long. I saw that I had actually smoked away more money than I had laid out for our library, our periodicals, and our intellectual culture generally. Cigars had cost me nearly twice as much as I had given to church work, missions, and charity. My conscience rose up at the record. I knew I could not plead any equivalent for the outlay. It had not fed me, it had not strengthened me; it had simply drugged me. Every cigar had made the next cigar a little more necessary to my comfort. To use the mildest word, it had been a useless expenditure.
"My detention up there in the mountains was calculated to open my eyes to my domestic shortcomings, and I saw, as I never had before, how selfishly unsocial tobacco had made me at home. I smoked before I was married, and my wife never entered any protest against my cigars afterward. But our first baby was a nervous thing, and the doctor told me it would never do for it to breathe tobacco smoke. I got into the way of shutting myself up in the library, evenings, and after every meal, to enjoy my cigars. As I look at it now, nothing is more absurd than to call it a social habit. It's a poor pretense for sociability where a man is simply intent on his own enjoyment. My wife owns up, now, that my tobacco-tainted breath and tobacco-saturated clothing were always more or less of a trial to her. The satisfaction it has given her to be rid of a tobacco atmosphere, and the thought of my contemptibly selfish indifference to her comfort all those years, have humbled me, I tell you. And I wouldn't exchange my own daily satisfaction nowadays in being a cleaner man—inside and outside—for the delight that anybody can get out of his cigars.
"I didn't need to go out of my own doors to find reasons enough for giving up the habit, but I think I found still stronger ones, after all, when I went away from home. The more I thought about the harm tobacco does in the community at large, the more I felt that it was time for me to stop giving it the moral support of my example. I don't take as much stock as some folks in the terrible effects of tobacco stories. It depends a good deal on what sort of grandfathers a man had—whether they bequeathed him the temperament of an ox or a race-horse; the constitution of a bull dog or a little tan-terrier. The doctors differ on this matter, and the evidence is strong enough to convict on the other counts of the indictment anyhow. I know I smoked too much, and that my nervous system is the worse for it. And I think the people who are likely to be hurt the most by it are just the ones who are most likely to smoke excessively. And then I've noticed that the medical men who stand up for tobacco are always men who use it and are liable to the suspicion of straining a point in justification of their own self-indulgence.
"On one point, though, I believe the authorities agree. No one denies that it is a damaging indulgence for boys. It means a good deal when smoking is forbidden to the pupils in the polytechnic schools in Paris and the military schools in Germany, purely on hygienic grounds. The governments of these smoking nations are not likely to be notional on that matter. But the use of tobacco by our American boys and young men is excessive and alarming. We ought to save our rising generation for better work than they can do if tobacco saps the strength of their growing years, and makes the descent easier, as no doubt it often does, to worse vices. I don't know how to forgive myself for the temptation I set before my Sunday-school class of bright boys, year after year, by my smoking habits. I always hoped they didn't know that I smoked, but of course they did. It isn't in the family, either, that the selfishness of the habit is most apparent. I don't believe, other things being equal, there is any other class of men who show such a disregard in public for other people's comfort as tobacco users do. I don't mean the chewers who spit in country churches and leave their filthy puddles on car floors. They're hogs. A man would be considered a rowdy or a boor who would willfully spatter mud on the clothing of a lady as she passed him on the sidewalk. But a lady to whom tobacco fumes are more offensive than mud, can hardly walk the streets, in these days, but that men who call themselves gentlemen—and who are gentlemen in most other respects—blow their cigar smoke into her face at almost every step. Smokers drive non-smokers out of the gentlemen's cabins on the ferry-boats and the gentlemen's waiting-rooms in railway stations, monopolizing these public rooms as coolly as if they only had any rights in them. I can't explain such phenomena except on the theory that tobacco befogs the moral sense and makes men specially selfish. Take the people of Germany, for instance. No other western people are such smokers, and no others are so boorish in their behavior;—especially toward women. I don't insist that one fact explains the other; but I have my suspicions."
The major's train pulled in just then, and, as he took my hand to say good-by, its smoking-car drew his parting shot: "See there! Did you ever reflect how the tobacco habit levies its taxes on everybody? The railway company furnishes an extra seat to every smoker, which, in the nature of the case, must be paid for by an extra charge on the tickets of all the passengers. What a rumpus it would raise if the Legislature should attempt to furnish luxuries to any special class at public cost in this way. How we'd vote 'em down! I vote against this thing by throwing away my cigar."—S. S. Times.
CLINTON, MAINE.
By J. B. Goodrich; C. Stratton
AFTER the close of our camp-meeting at Waterville, we resumed our meetings in this place. New converts have embraced the truth, and still others are interested, so we are to continue our meetings in a hall, as the nights are too cold for tent-meetings. Seven have been baptized, and we expect others will be soon. Secret opposition is strong. Some run from house to house as soon as they learn of persons who are interested, pretending that they cannot sleep nights for fear they will be led astray; but these persons had lived in sin for years, and yet those who have such a burden for them now had never visited them to get them converted from their sins. Wonderful burden, indeed! We are reminded of the language of Paul in 2 Cor. 11 : 13-15.
J. B. GOODRICH.
C. STRATTON.
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.
By Harrison Grant
I CAME here last Monday; but the evenings are so cold that we need overcoats, and of course but few come out to the meetings. The work moves very slow here; it is hard for the people to break away from the church and other influences that hold them. Ten or twelve have commenced to keep the Sabbath since the tent was pitched here. The interest is still good, and we hope for many more.