Earlier text: Saving Power in the HomeHonan, China
By H. W. Miller
We can not yet report much in the way of converts. While we have interested inquirers, who would be glad to join our church, we feel that it is best to go slowly in organizing churches, and get substantial material. The loss of my dear wife has been no small trial to me, and were it not for the definite and unmistakable way in which God has led us, I should certainly not be able to stand. But we have seen some very definite answers to prayer here, especially connected with our moving, and this has been a great comfort to me. While God at that time took Mrs. Miller away, he also was turning the hearts of other workers to this field, and during the last week I received word from these persons desiring to come to China, besides a letter from Brother Westrup and one from Brother Allum, of Australia. God is shaping everything the world over to meet the needs of all the fields. I have written to these workers concerning our work here, also have presented the difficulties to be met, telling them that we in the interior become Chinamen. The situation inland and that in the treaty ports is very different. I read our English papers in an audible tone, so that I shall not forget how to speak. It is surprising how limited our vocabulary is becoming in English. It is five weeks now since I have spoken an English sentence to a foreigner. By my close association with the Chinese, I am becoming acquainted with them, and am learning how the Chinamen think. Our work in Shanghai is moving forward. Work for the women is being carried forward through Mrs. Miller’s Bible woman, with my help. Last week I performed two operations, both of which were quite satisfactory. One was the removal of an abnormal growth over the cornea of the eye. The patient now uses his eye in reading. While these patients are kept here, by the help of a native evangelist we present the gospel to them. Pray that God may send funds for the support of more workers, for they truly are needed. It does seem too bad to hold men back from the perishing millions for lack of funds. If they are ready even to lay down their lives for the heathen, should not men be willing to part with a few earthly possessions? If some of our brethren could pass through the experiences which come to us in the midst of heathendom, it would not take them long to find buyers for their farms. The harvest waits, but the laborers are so few. LIMA.—At Payta, our first stopping-place in Peru, the fourth officer of the ship was taken off the boat to the pest-house, the doctors saying that he had Bubonic plague. In consequence of this, the intermediate ports to Callao refused to receive the ship, and when we arrived at Callao, November 14, we were quarantined for four days. Providentially, there were on board several influential Peruvians, a consul from Australia, members of the cabinet, and others. These were anxious to be released, and as a result, the time was cut to two days. As soon as the yellow flag was hauled down, the ship was surrounded with small boats, for the service of those wishing to land, and their owners were soon crowding the decks. I did not know that the brethren had been notified of our arrival, and was planning to go ashore to find Brother Espinosa or Brother Beltran, and return for our things. Soon a man came by, waving a letter, and calling, “Perry! Perry.” It proved to be Brother Hamon Beltran, with a letter for me from Elder Westphal, of Chile. He could say scarcely a word of English, but by the aid of an interpreter, we arranged for him to take us to his house, with our trunks, then we could go to a hotel, or find rooms. We were soon on the electric street-car for Lima, our trunks to follow in a cart. The electric line between Callao and Lima is as fine as any I have seen in the United States, and the cars run faster. In Lima there is an excellent service of horse-cars, but the suburban towns are connected by trolley. There is also a steam railroad from Callao to Lima, and back into the interior. Brother Beltran’s home is in a residence part of the city, yet there are small tiendas, or shops, all along. Into one of these he led us, and presented us to his wife. Back of the shop is a poorly lighted room, fitted up for meetings. There is a sort of pulpit, a melodion, some benches, and chairs. The wall is covered with mottoes and charts, including the familiar prophetic chart. A lamp hangs from the ceiling. This is lighted during meeting, even in the day-time. Soon a sister came in, who speaks excellent English. She came here from northern Chile, having left her home in order to keep the Sabbath. When Brother Beltran knew our wants, he went out, and returned with a key. In the same block he had found two rooms, up-stairs. These were rented for seven dollars a month, and we are staying here while looking for a house. We praise God for his continual care. We have had many assurances that his hand is guiding. We think we have quite good quarters in sight, for twenty dollars a month. This is more than we can afford, but is the best we can do at present. We must provide room for meetings, as Brother Beltran is doing more than he reasonably should. On Sabbath there were fourteen out. They study the lesson carefully, and then Brother Beltran reads a chapter, talks awhile, and they have a social meeting. He also has service Tuesday and Friday evenings. He has worked in this way about two years, and there is a substantial though small Sabbath-school here. Brother Espinosa and his family live in Callao. I am making some headway with the language, and can make myself understood in some things. Yesterday was our third Sabbath here. There were nineteen present, old and young. I had written a few pages in Spanish, which I read. They seemed to understand it, and appreciated my effort. They pray fervently that God will bless the “brother pastor,” and help him to quickly learn the Spanish. I suppose it will be a few weeks before I can do much definite work, aside from becoming familiar with the language and the ways of the people. The climate so far has been well-nigh perfect. The only thing we have found to annoy us is the fleas, which are numerous. May God richly bless the brethren in the home land, so that they may arise and speedily finish the work. F. L. PERRY. California
By E. E. Parlin
SAN FRANCISCO.—Another of those annual meetings which Elder Grainger, several years ago, characterized as “the most interesting business meeting of any church” ever attended by him, was held on Jan. 2, 1906, by the San Francisco Seventh-day Adventist church, at 916 Laguna Street. Very interesting and carefully prepared reports were presented by all the financial officers of the church, supplemented with brief and comprehensive summaries of general missionary work accomplished during the year. A larger number than ever before are taking an active interest in some of the many activities of the church. The membership was reported to be three hundred and sixty-nine, somewhat less than it was one year ago, as the names of a number whose whereabouts and standing were unknown had been taken from the record. The aggregate offerings for all purposes, including tithes, were over eight thousand dollars, or an average of about twenty-two dollars a member for the entire year. Of this sum about eleven hundred and fifty dollars has been donated18to needy home and foreign fields, including donations to Washington, various phases of the work in the Southern States, China, and elsewhere. The church-school was reported to be in a flourishing condition, with an enrolment of about seventy pupils, seven of whom are in the advanced class. The expense of the school, amounting to upward of nine hundred and twenty-five dollars for the year, has been fully met, the salaries of teachers having been uniformly paid on Friday of each week. Literature to the amount of about three hundred and sixty dollars has been disposed of through the tract and missionary society, systematic use being made of The Signs of the Times, and other of our publications, by many of the members. The report of the Hydriatic Dispensary for six months ending Dec. 31, 1905, showed that during that time nine hundred and fifteen treatments had been given in the treatment rooms, besides a large number of outside treatments and other work, of which no detailed record had been kept. The total receipts in this department of the work amounted to over five hundred dollars for the six months, and included donations, receipts from sales of literature, and the small amount that the patients, when able, pay for the treatments given. Several of our local physicians have regular hours each week at the dispensary for the purpose of meeting and advising with those needing the attention of a physician. The Christian Help band reports, among other items, sixty-four devotional and other meetings held during the year, and eight hundred and sixty-four garments given to the needy poor. The Young People’s Society has held weekly meetings at the church during most of the year, with an average attendance of about thirty. They have also held monthly meetings at the jails, and have sold and given away a large number of papers and religious literature. The Sabbath-school work has also been of more than usual interest on account of the many who have availed themselves of the very interesting lessons that have been under consideration during the year. The total offerings from the Sabbath-school amount to $253.40, of which about two thirds has been devoted to missionary work. Several of the members devote a large portion of their time to canvassing, holding Bible readings, visiting the sick, and to other practical Christian work. There has been, during the year, most perfect harmony and unity on the part of members and officers in carrying forward every advance work that has been presented, and new and aggressive plans are now being considered for the work with “Christ’s Object Lessons” and “Ministry of Healing.” The members of this church are fully alive to the magnitude of the field about them and their responsibility in connection with the truths that have been committed to them, and are looking forward to an aggressive and advance work the coming year.—E. E. Parlin, in Pacific Union Recorder. Bermuda
By James A. Morrow
HAMILTON.—I have not found book sales as good this year as formerly; still, in two weeks, together with my other work, I have been able to dispose of fifty copies of “Paradise Home,” English edition. Last Friday, as I was returning from the country, passing the police station on my bicycle, a policeman hailed me, and asked if I was in a hurry. Upon stopping, he said to me, “I saw some books advertised in that book I got of you, and I would like to get them.” He took a slip of paper from his pocket, bearing the words, “Christ’s Object Lessons,” “Patriarchs and Prophets,” “Great Controversy.” He gave me his order for all three. This shows the good that well-worded notices in our books will do. JAMES A. MORROW. The Bookmen's Convention of the Central Union Conference
By A. O. Tait
PRECEDING the regular session of the Central Union Conference, the bookmen in this territory held one of the most interesting, instructive, and valuable conventions that it was ever my privilege to attend. Before the convention closed, quite a number of the delegates to the regular session of the conference came, and so had the privilege of enjoying some of the best of the wine that came at the close of the feast. Many expressed the sentiment that this was the most sensible and solid talk that they had heard on the subject of getting our books before the public. Deep consecration to the work of giving this message to the world through our printed page was voiced by every one who had any part in the convention. This is a great message, and we are in its closing hours. Those who carry it must not only be consecrated, but they must be persistent in their efforts to get the truth before the world. And not only is there need of persevering effort, but there must be a most careful and faithful training of the canvasser by the State agent. In this work of training agents, the necessity of the State agent's going into the field himself with the canvasser, and teaching him right on the ground how to do the work, was one of the great watchwords of the convention. “Come into the field and labor, is to be the constant entreaty of the State agent, and not, Go into the field and work,” was an expression that was frequently made and dwelt upon. The canvasser having been led into the field by the agent, and having been taught by actual demonstrations right on the ground that our books may be sold, then these workers are to be constantly visited and written to in order to keep them of good courage and help them to surmount every difficulty until they are thoroughly trained veterans in service. In order that the canvasser may not be discouraged in the field, the Lord's plan to send laborers out two by two should be followed. In many instances, however, it would be better to send them out in companies with an experienced canvasser to take the lead. In the work of interesting canvassers to enter the field, the necessity of having the combined influence and help of the ministers and church elders was largely dwelt upon, and particular stress was laid upon the necessity of having the hearty, intelligent co-operation of the conference officers. It was shown that in the conferences where the president was thoroughly alive to the book work and intelligent upon the best methods of forwarding it, there the work was much in advance of what it was in localities where the president did not take much interest in it. Then there must be the closest bond of sympathetic union and co-operation between the publishing house, the tract society, and the agent. The agent is in the field working under difficulties and many discouragements; and neither the publisher nor the tract society can afford to allow any discouragement to remain upon him that can in any way be removed. A warm, hearty interest in the canvasser's work will often enable the publisher or tract society to see things that may be done to help him, and thus be the means of encouraging and strengthening his work. A close union must also be maintained with all our schools. A careful, watchful State agent will find here one of his greatest recruiting grounds and most valuable and important fields for labor. All the agents, and particularly the State agents, should be encouraged to be careful students, so that they will always be fresh in their work. It was evident that much was expected in this convention, for quite a number of the leading brethren were present from outside the Central Union Conference. Elder R. A. Underwood, president of the Northern Union Conference, Elder H. S. Shaw, president of the Minnesota Conference, and Elder C. A. Burman, president of the South Dakota Conference, were among the leading workers here from the Northern Union Conference. They expressed the hope that a bookmen's convention might be held in their conference at no distant date. If the good principles enunciated in this convention are faithfully carried out, we shall see many thousands of books sold in the immediate future in territory where previously but little has been accomplished; for it would be hard to conceive of men going forth with greater earnestness and determination than was manifested on the part of those who enjoyed the privileges of this good meeting. During the convention a committee was appointed to publish selections from the papers read and talks given. This matter may be had, without charge, by addressing the Pacific Press, 1109 E. Twelfth St., Kansas City, Mo. A Lay Member’s Experience
By Jasper Wayne
By selling The Signs of the Times during the campaign last year, as a foreign missionary enterprise, a popular chord was touched that met a hearty response from all classes of people, inasmuch that a large amount of literature was placed in their hands, and a goodly sum was received for our foreign missions. This brought such a blessed experience to me that I was encouraged to take one more step, and undertake to sell that splendid book, “Great Controversy,” in the same way. This step sorely tried my faith, although I met with such signal success in selling the Signs; to sell a book seemed more than I could undertake. However, the Lord gave me strength to overcome, and led me on to victory. For the first ten hours’ work, the Lord gave me six orders, amounting to $17.75—$8.50 for our foreign missions. And, O, what blessing came to me as I realized the blessing being brought to others by the means placed in my hands by my kind Heavenly Father! What might we accomplish if ten thousand of us should sell only six books each! This would place sixty thousand copies of this grand book in the homes of our neighbors, and ninety thousand dollars in our depleted mission treasury, to still further spread this gospel of the soon-coming Saviour. “A precious experience may be gained19by one who engages in this work. He has upon his heart the burden of the souls of his neighbors. . . . While helping others, such a worker is himself obtaining spiritual strength and understanding, and in this humble school he may become qualified to enter a wider field. . . . Let the laymen do all that they can; and as they use the talents they already have, God will give them more grace and increased ability. . . . Let all who believe the truth begin to work. Do the work that lies nearest you. . . . We shall not be stinted for means if we will only go forward trusting in God. The Lord is willing to do a great work for all who truly believe in him. If the lay members of the church will arouse to do the work that they can do, going on a warfare at their own charges, each seeing how much he can accomplish in winning souls to Jesus, we shall see many leaving the ranks of Satan to stand under the banner of Christ. If our people will act upon the light that is given in these few words of instruction, we shall surely see of the salvation of God. Wonderful revivals will follow. Sinners will be converted, and many souls will be added to the church. When we bring our hearts into unity with Christ, and our lives into harmony with his work, the Spirit that fell on the disciples on the day of Pentecost will fall on us.”—“Testimonies,” Vol. VIII, pages 245, 246. This cheering testimony ought to stimulate us to action. The Master has filled our hands with message-filled books, papers, and tracts, and he is earnestly calling for each and all to take of him, and finish his work. Why not, at the beginning of this new year, present our books and papers as a missionary enterprise, putting all the profits in the foreign mission fund? This will open a door to you that will be marvelous in your eyes, yielding the peaceable fruits of righteousness. This plan gives practically an unentered field. Let us occupy till he comes, and share in the joy of the harvest home. Thousands of us can put in our spare time in this way, and thereby reap a threefold blessing—one for ourselves, one for our neighbors, and one for our foreign missions. Overcoming Personal Faults
“HOWEVER good you may be, you have faults; however dull you may be, you can find out what some of them are; and however slight they may be, you had better make an effort to get rid of them.” THREE persons united with the Oklahoma City church at the time of the last quarterly meeting. A RECENT report from Jersey City announces the baptism of three persons in the baptistery of the Jersey City church. A REPORT from Zanesville, Ohio, says: “The last month has brought good cheer to our little company. Three others have taken their stand for the truth.” A REPORT in the New York Indicator states: “We now have a nicely organized company in Saratoga, who are rejoicing in the truth and looking for the Lord’s coming.” ELDER J. H. BEHRENS reports from Sanitarium, Cal.: “During the week of prayer thirty persons were baptized, four of whom had requested rebaptism. Six of those united with the St. Helena church. The donation from Sanitarium amounted to $256.19.”20 FOUR new Sabbath-keepers are mentioned by Elder A. O. Burrill in a recent report from Ontario. TWELVE persons have recently begun the observance of the Bible Sabbath at Glendale, Mont., as a result of four weeks’ labor by Brother W. H. Holden. THE Atlantic Union Gleaner of January 10 states: “Six members were received into the church at South Lancaster [Mass.] last Sabbath.” Two new churches have recently been organized in West Australia by Pastor Burr Finster,—one at Kalamunda and the other at Moliabeenee.—Union Conference Record. ELDERS OLSEN and Hilliard, of the Australasian field, have recently begun labor in West Australia. Before leaving Gippsland, his former field of labor, Elder Hilliard organized a church there. SISTER MARY I. STEELE reports from Fort Scott, Kan.: “I have twenty regular readers each week, with a prospect of a few more. Three of these have begun to keep the Sabbath and attend our Sabbath-school. There are others who will soon begin to keep the Sabbath.” SPEAKING of the prosperity of the work at San Diego, Cal., a writer in the Pacific Union Recorder says: “Last Sabbath was a good day; the seating capacity of the church was tried to its utmost, and I think, if members continue to come in, we shall soon have to move into a larger building, or put on an addition.” BROTHER C. T. REDFIELD reports from High Hill, Ohio: “As a result of tent-meetings held at this place by Brother K. R. Haughey and myself, and Bible work done since the close of the meetings, three faithful souls have decided to keep the holy Sabbath of the Lord. Four others who acknowledged its binding claims are deeply stirred.” A REPORT from our Spanish minister in Arizona, Elder Marcial Serna, who has been laboring at Globe, says: “I am very glad to tell the brethren that this evening [December 27], I baptized five dear souls. The Lord has blessed the work among the Spanish-speaking people. We have a Sabbath-school here with four classes. Last month the members paid seventeen dollars tithe, and to-day I received fourteen dollars more. I think you will be glad to know how the Lord is blessing the work here.” THE president of the West Australian Conference says in a recent report: “I have just returned from a week’s visit at Heidelberg. I had a good time. On the Sabbath we had baptism, when nine followed their Lord in this ordinance. On Sunday we organized a church of fourteen members. The work here was begun by Brother Brittan over a year ago. Several from other places have moved in, so we now have a nice little company. They expect to build a church next summer. I have baptized twenty since my return from the Union Conference Council, and expect to go to-morrow to hold another baptismal service.” HAVING formed quite an extensive acquaintance in home and foreign lands, but now being shut in at home by failing health, I have decided to ask the editor of the REVIEW to allow me the use of its columns to communicate with these fellow believers. I know that the mere intimation of my failing health will be a surprise to many. My life has been an active one, and in looking over my diaries I find that for a number of years my sermons were nearly equal to one each day, two hundred and seventy-one being the smallest number in any one year. I have no desire to live upon the past, for it is but poor food at best, and our best service comes short of real duty; nor do I care to live too much in the present, for it is filled with pain. So I am living in the future to quite an extent, and I find comfort in meditating on the promises of God, which, like the stars, shine the brightest in the dark. I like the words of Paul where he said, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” I also like the Scripture that he refers to in Isa. 64:4, which reads, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.” If Adam could have beheld the far-reaching results of his wrong course, he would have better understood the import of those words, “What hast thou done?” Sin is a small word, but it is a seed that produces suffering, and this in turn brings forth death, and death necessitates the grave, where, were it not for the divine interposition, all would end. But here we are cheered with a knowledge of the fact that the Captain of our salvation entered its cold domain, brought its keys away with him, and holds them in his own strong right hand, promising to open the charnel-house and let us free. What a glad day that will be when there will be no griefs nor graves, no sighs nor cries, no crosses nor losses, no births nor burials, but inexpressible joy. Let us see to it that every requirement of our Commander is met, and then we shall have confidence before him at his coming. Missionary Work in Worldly Colleges
By A. J. Harris
THE brightest and most promising young people of our land are filling the colleges and schools, and should not these have the message for the last days? Our college experience for the past two years has brought this forcibly to our attention. Mrs. Harris and myself entered the medical college in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1904. There we found a brother who had entered with the same spirit and determination to disseminate the truth while he studied. We combined forces, and soon questions came to us; we invited inquirers to our rooms, and held readings on Friday evenings. We attended the meetings of the Young Women’s and the Young Men’s Christian Association, and gave in our testimonies as opportunity was granted. Soon we were called upon to take an active part, even to conduct the weekly chapel devotional service, and to speak to these different organizations, which we did with pleasure. And to the praise of the Lord we saw the fruit of our work before the end of the year; and within the last few weeks I have received letters from two who accepted present truth, one a practising physician in Nebraska, the other a lady, sister of another practising physician, who is also interested. And the judgment will reveal others, I know. At the beginning of the present year’s school we transferred our work to Kirksville, Mo., a large school of about seven hundred students. Soon after our arrival here, we were asked by the officers of the Young Men’s and the Young Women’s Christian Association to take an active part in their services, which we did, and were given charge of the Bible study. I explained to the committee that I was a Seventh-day Adventist. The reply was that they knew it, and had made their choice, knowing that that people know the Bible. I asked them to furnish me an outline of the study, which they did, knowing that as long as it kept to the Bible, it would be truth, and we studied it accordingly. We opened our doors every Friday evening for study with the leaders and as many others as wished to come. The attendance increased, and is still increasing; the rooms are filled every Friday night. Among those who attend are from four to six of the leaders at the medical school, from four to six of the State normal students, besides some of our neighbors. We take part in the Sunday services at the college, esteeming it a privilege and duty, knowing that we can not reach these people in any better way than to go where they are. These openings, if not already made, can be solicited by a kindly Christian spirit in taking advantage of the many providences of God, even outside of college life, in the villages and neighborhoods about us. I believe that we shall advance faster by meeting the people when, where, and at the time they meet. We have refrained from presenting anything of a doctrinal nature until it was called for, but for the past four weeks we have spent the time in answering questions on present truth, and we have had some very interesting experiences. At one meeting there were three subjects asked for by three different individuals,—the immortality question, the second coming of Christ, and the new earth state. And nearly every day some interested person comes to ask some question about the truth. Four young ladies from the normal school are preparing themselves for teachers, and are inquiring about our schools; two sisters, one of whom has already acknowledged the truth, will go to Memphis, Tenn., in June, and desires to know concerning our people there. There are two other brethren here in school, and we have a Sabbath-school of about fifteen members. We expect several to accept the truth before we leave this place. A DEPUTATION of Seventh-day Adventists, composed of Elder W. H. Thurston, president of the Canadian Union Conference; Elder H. E. Rickard, of Fitch Bay, Quebec, president of the Quebec Conference; Elder A. O. Burrill, president of the Ontario Conference; and Elder Eugene Leland, secretary of the Religious Liberty Association of Canada, waited upon the prime minister and minister of justice on Thursday, January 18, and protested against the Sunday law proposed by the Lord’s Day Alliance. The two leading papers of Ottawa, the Evening Citizen and Evening Journal, gave very favorable reports of this interview. In each case the report was given a prominent position on the first page of the paper, with striking headings. From the report in the Evening Citizen, the following paragraphs are quoted:— “The Seventh-day Adventists believe that the Sabbath is a religious institution, and wholly such, and that its observance should be rendered to the Lord, and not to the Dominion government. Again, they object to the proposed Sunday law ‘because it is legislation against the law of God, everywhere and always the divine command concerning the Lord’s day being: “The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;” and, therefore, if this proposed measure is enacted into law, it will be done in direct opposition to the law of God. It will require every man in the Dominion of Canada,’ they add, ‘to become either a criminal by violating the Sunday law or a sinner by violating the law of God.’” “These people would, said their representatives, oppose even a measure that would require the observance of the seventh day of the week as strongly as they would oppose one requiring observance of the first day of the week, and for the reason that it is religious legislation, and all religious legislation, they hold, is detrimental to true Christianity.” In the summary of the arguments presented by the delegation as given in the Evening Journal, the following paragraphs are found:— “In the first place, they say that the fourth commandment of the decalogue requires that it be observed upon Saturday, the seventh day, and that work be carried on as usual on Sunday. To observe both days would be a loss of time.” “In the second place, they say it is religious legislation, and to such they are opposed. They say that religious practises should not be dealt with by civil law. They take the ground that the observance of the Sabbath is a religious practise, and therefore Parliament should not interfere, but render unto God the things that are his.” “The third point which the delegation put forward, that a Sunday observance law would interfere with the employers of labor, who would be fined if they kept their works running on Sunday.” “‘We object,’ they said, ‘to a Sunday law because it is legislation against the law of God. That is the principal reason. The law of God makes the observance of Sabbath on the seventh, while it is now desired by Parliament to make it the first day of the week.’” Religious Liberty Notes
By K. C. Russell
The North Michigan Conference News Sheet, under date of January 15, contains reports of two interesting religious liberty conventions, held in that conference at Menominee and at Petoskey. This is a good beginning. Brother and Sister Wightman are holding a series of meetings at Bath, N. Y., and in one of her reports in a recent issue of the New York Indicator Sister Wightman said: “As we have reached the religious liberty subject, the interest is increasing.” Our churches in the District of Columbia will each conduct a religious liberty convention Sabbath, February 3. The same program will be followed which has been sent out and recommended to be used by all our conferences in their churches. The Colorado Conference paper, Echoes from the Field, bearing date of January 10, is a religious liberty edition. The following is a list of interesting articles and the names of the writers: “Christian Citizenship,” by Dr. Willard W. Hills, Religious Liberty Secretary of the Colorado Conference; “Sunday Laws Are Not Civil, but Religious,” by H. M. J. Richards; “The Lord’s Powers That Be,” by G. W. Angle barger; “Work of the Federation,” by Willard W. Hills; “Church Federation,” by L. A. Smith; “An Appeal for Justice,” by Francis M. Wilcox; “A Striking Contrast;” “National Reform Campaign,” by K. C. Russell; besides a page of interesting notes and items on the subject of Religious Liberty. This paper is certainly a right move in the direction of educating our people on the principles of religious liberty. The Petoskey Evening News of Jan. 9, 1906, gives a report of a meeting of the Preachers’ Union held in that city the 8th inst., consisting of twenty-five preachers and their wives, representing eight different denominations. The report says, in part: “Rev. R. H. Turner, pastor of the Fulton Street United Brethren church, presented to the union a carefully prepared paper on the topic, ‘What can we do as a ministerial union for the moral uplift of the community?’ He said, among other things, that we might organize ourselves into a law and order league to bring about civic reforms. We might demand of those in authority the enforcement of law. We might unite our efforts to secure the election of such men as will pledge themselves to be true to the interests of reform. The paper proved a most earnest discussion upon practical methods of making the united power of the preachers felt in the matter of civic righteousness.” This conference forecasts what the practical results of the Inter-Church Federation Movement means. An Inter-Church Federation Conference has been announced to be held in Baltimore, Md., January 30, under the auspices of the Ministers’ Union in the Eutaw Place Baptist church. First session 2-5 P. M., and the second 8-9:3521P. M. The following is a list of some of the topics to be discussed: “History of Federation Movement,” “The Essential Unity of the Churches,” “Marriage and Divorce,” “Co-operation for Religious Instruction of the Young,” and “Christian Citizenship.” The following was written by the Florida Religious Liberty secretary, C. P. Whitford: “I appointed twenty-five local secretaries, and wrote them a two-page circular letter, laying out some work for them to do. I also wrote a letter for the Jacksonville (Fla.) Times, and another for a Starke paper.” The Religious Liberty Bureau has had printed a supply of petition blanks to be circulated by our people against H. R. Bill 10510, entitled “A Bill to Further Protect the First Day of the Week as a Day of Rest in the District of Columbia.” It is also getting out a leaflet which will give quite a complete explanation of the bill, to be distributed by those who circulate the petitions. A supply of these petition blanks and leaflets will be furnished to our conferences as soon as possible. “An Appeal for Justice, or in Jail for Conscience in the Twentieth Century,” by Elder H. M. J. Richards, is a tract of twenty-two pages which has just been received by the Religious Liberty Department. It contains an interesting and graphic account of the imprisonment of Brother E. K. Cassell, in Raton, N. M., last March, who was convicted for laboring on Sunday. The tract is printed on good paper and is illustrated. It can be obtained by addressing the Colorado Tract Society, 1112 South Eleventh St., Denver, Colo. Price, post-paid, 2 cents each, $1.50 a hundred. It would be excellent to use where our people may be arrested for violation of the Sunday law. Fernando (Cal.) College
By H. G. Lucas
THE first school term of eighteen weeks will have passed before this is printed. We feel very grateful for God's guiding hand over our work thus far. We have had numerous evidences that God approves the work being done at this school. The angels love to linger where God's Word is being studied, and where characters are being developed to stand the fiery tests of the last days. What a noble army this denomination would have if every young man and young woman among us were attending our schools, preparing for some definite work in God's cause! “Our present enrolment is one hundred and twenty-seven, ninety-four of whom are above the seventh grade. Each student has a mind to study, and good results are being obtained intellectually. A willing spirit to work is also manifest. Hand in hand with the intellectual and physical phases of school work has been clasped the spiritual, that phase so universally neglected in education, yet so important and necessary in a Seventh-day Adventist school. We feel that God has set his seal to our other work by sending us spiritual blessings. The week of prayer was a spiritual feast to us, which began before and continued after the appointed time. There was a genuine seeking of God on the part of the young people, one evening between thirty and forty remaining after the general meeting to seek the Lord, all finding him precious to their souls. It was a most wonderful season. I had never before witnessed such a remarkable moving of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of young people, and all we could say as we saw an increase of blessing night after night, was, “Behold, what God hath wrought.”