Earlier text: Morality of the Sabbath and Its ImportanceSERPENT (“NACHASH”) SERAPH.
By Merritt E. Cornell
The word “serpent,” in Gen. 3:1, is from the Heb. nachash, which signifies close scrutiny or enchantment. The commentators seem to very generally agree in this definition. Also that the root and kindred forms signify seraph or shining, glistening, as polished brass, from which we are led to the conclusion that the creature used by Satan for a speaking medium was not a crawling reptile, but a glistening seraph. And we learn from the record that “the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field;” and Satan, of whom it is declared (Eze. 28:3, 12), “Thou art wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that they can hide from thee,” “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom,” &c., would certainly know better than to choose for his purpose a slimy reptile. The serpent of Eden must therefore have been of another species and of a higher grade, or else he was greatly degraded by the fall and curse that followed. Among all the animal tribes, this serpent was “more subtle.” The word “subtle” is sometimes rendered “crafty,” “prudent,” as in Job. 5:12; Prov. 12:16. It is therefore probable that this animal before the curse was the most beautiful, shining, and seraph-like, as well as the most knowing and prudent, of all the animal creation, whereas it is now, since the fall, the most low and degraded. To the objection that the serpent has no organs of speech, Calvin replies, “No one has any except as God gives them. How with Balaam’s beast? Beside, the serpent that can now only hiss, may, at first, have been an eloquent speaker.” There need be no difficulty on this point if the Scripture is credited, for it is positively stated that “the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade the madness of the prophet.” 2 Pet. 2:16. The serpent, now degraded to crawl in the dust, eating only what is mixed with dust, was no doubt once a shining, flying seraph, possessing discernment and sagacity beyond all others of the animal creation. The Comprehensive Commentary, endorses the following from Matthew Henry:— “Perhaps it was a flying serpent, which seemed to come as a messenger from the upper world, one of the seraphim; for the fiery serpents were flying. Isa. 14:29.” “The Arabic, which is very nearly identical with the Hebrew, gives the root of the word chanas, as signifying he departed, drew off, lay hid, seduced, slunk away, &c. . . . It is very remarkable also that from the same root comes Khannas the devil, which appellative he bears from that meaning of Khanasa: he drew off, seduced, &c., because he draws men off from righteousness, seduces them from their obedience to God.” The Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical Commentary, on the term “nachash,” says:— “It is far more likely, however, to have had for its primary sense that from which comes the secondary meaning of brass, or rather of bronze—shining metal. This gives, as the primary, the idea of splendor, glistening.” Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible has the following:— “Serpent. Herodotus (ii. 75, iii. 108.) speaks of serpents with wings whose bones he imagined he had himself seen near Buto in Arabia. Monstrous forms of snakes with birds’ wings occur on the Egyptian sculptures.” Jacobus, in his notes on Genesis, says:— “Objectors say it is not likely that the devil would have assumed such an unsightly shape, but a more attractive one. Yet this objection begs the question. We may suppose that this kind of serpent had originally a very attractive form, and received its degraded and groveling habits in the curse. The nachash is the term used in Num. 21:6; but with the Hebrew term ‘seraph’—translated, ‘fiery serpent.’ It is ‘the seraph serpent’ which God there sent among the people. The term seraph in Hebrew means fiery. And this kind of serpent was probably a glistening creature, and may have been so far attractive, even after the fall, while kindred terms of nachash mean brass and enchantment—all giving the impression of some bright, glowing, and fascinating appearance, as the original idea.” George Bush, Prof. of Heb. and Orient. Lit., N. Y. City University, in Notes on Gen. 3:1, says:— “Serpent. Heb. nachash. The word ‘serpent’ in our language comes from the Latin serpo, to creep, but the Hebrew term has no relation to the form or motion or any external attribute of the serpent. It is a term descriptive solely of mental properties, being derived from a root signifying to search or scrutinize closely, to find out by experiment, and in some few instances to practice divination or augury. Gen. 44:5; Lev. 19:26; 1 Kings 20:33. The name, therefore, is obviously more appropriate, in its original import, to some kind of rational being than to a brute beast or an unintelligent reptile. * “A due reverence for Scripture would seem to force from us the admission that here was a real serpent uttering real words, since the inspired historian expressly asserts the fact. But was this all? Is there not clear evidence of the presence also of a higher power latent under the serpentine form, and acting through it as an obsequious organ? The apostle Paul in exhorting the Corinthians to beware of false teachers, says, ‘I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity of Christ.’ Here is a comparison between the seduction of the Corinthians and the seduction of Eve; and as the former were in no danger of being deceived by a more brute animal, Eve cannot be supposed to have been beguiled by a mere irrational creature. If the serpent in Genesis was nothing more than the brute reptile, the comparison is destroyed; but if it was the organ of Satan, the comparison is true and forcible; that is, there was danger lest Satan should deceive the Corinthian converts through the means of false teachers, as he did Eve by means of the serpent. That such is the apostle’s meaning is implied in verses 13–15 of the same chapter: ‘For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.’ We know from Scripture of no other period in the history of this archapostate when the transformation here predicted of him is so likely to have taken place as that now referred to, when he perhaps assumed the form of a bright, glorious, and winged serpent, of that kind which in Scripture are called seraphs or seraphim, from their luminous, burning, glowing appearance, an appearance that might very naturally have suggested the phrase, ‘angel of light.’” “There can be no reasonable doubt, therefore, that the devil actuated the serpent by which Eve was beguiled, and that he was consequently the instigator of the first sin in Paradise. This being is here designated under the appellation, serpent from his insidious, subtle, and malignant nature, and the epithet old is applied to him, Rev. 12:9, from his having commenced his diabolical acts at the creation, and continued to practice them through several thousand years down to the period of that prophecy. He is moreover elsewhere called devil, from his being a calumniator, or slanderer; Satan, from his being an adversary or hater; and the wicked one, from his general character.” “We find a general belief both among the ancient Jews and early Christians that the serpent before the fall was not only gentle and innocuous, but in form and appearance among the most beautiful of creatures. In Num. 21:6, it is said, ‘The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.’ Here the original phrase is seraphim or burning serpents, probably from their resplendent color in which they resembled an order of angelic beings called also seraphs or seraphim. Isaiah also, chap. 14:29, speaks of a ‘fiery flying serpent,’ doubtless of a similar species. We know, therefore, of no insuperable objection to considering the serpent of Eden as a far more splendid and beautiful creature than the common reptile so denominated; and the traditional comment of Rabbi Bechai may, perhaps, rest upon solid grounds. ‘This is the secret (or mystery) of the holy language, that a serpent is called seraph, as an angel is called seraph,’ and then after quoting Num. 21:6, he adds, ‘The Scripture calls serpent seraphim because they were the offspring of the old serpent.’” “There was doubtless a signal transformation made to pass upon him in consequence of the curse now inflicted. From having formerly moved by the aid of wings, or with the head and breast elevated above the ground, he was now reduced from this imposing posture, and became, in the fullest sense of the term, a reptile, vile and loathsome, and incapable of eating any food but what should be more or less mingled with the dust.” The harmony of these learned authorities on the original term “nachash,” carries with it a conviction of its truth, and relieves the matter of all objections and obscurity, and gives a dignity and importance to the Bible account not generally realized. The serpent’s dazzling brightness, his intelligent subtilty, and his seraph wings with which he flew through the air, glistening in the sun with such attractive beauty as to arrest the attention, excite the admiration, and fascinate mother Eve, are all now removed. He was degraded, by the Creator, so low that Satan could never again use him as a medium to fascinate and deceive. He is now most loathsome—an earthy, crawling, dust-eating reptile. Instead of shining, fascinating beauty, the sight generally strikes with a chill, and he is abhorred by all the Eves, and most of the Adams of our race. And well would it be for us to learn to abhor sin which first came by the serpent, with the same loathing we naturally have toward the agent used. But if we would avoid evil, we must shun the appearance of it, and every way that leads to it. “To parley with temptation is to play with our ruin.” Understanding Satan’s devices, may we escape his snares and come off victors at last. What Is Righteousness?
By Charles P. Whitford
A FRIEND writing on the subject of the Sabbath, says, “I believe he that feareth God and worketh righteousness will be accepted of him.” Now, we wish to determine the meaning of the term righteousness. In John 5:17, we read that “all unrighteousness is sin.” And what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. If unrighteousness, then, is transgression of the law, righteousness is obedience to the law, or right doing. The law of God is the truth, and Jesus says, “For this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth.” He testifies as follows: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” This is the law by which our actions are to be regulated, and characters formed. It is a moral law; for it is the standard of our righteousness. A rule of righteousness can only be fulfilled by obeying it, and obeying such rule does not abolish it. The righteousness of a person consists in right-doing; that is, in his obeying what is commonly called moral law. “He that doeth righteousness, is righteous.” 1 John 3:7. And we have not forgotten that David said, “All thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. 119:172. He does not say nine of the commandments are righteousness, but all of them; and it is clearly evident that Jesus ratified them all. Who are they, then, who fear God and work righteousness? “The people in whose heart is my law.” Then they who obey unrighteousness transgress the law, while they that obey the truth, do not transgress it; and the wrath of God will come upon every soul, Jew or Gentile, who does not obey the truth. And what is truth? “All thy commandments are truth.” Yes, the law of God is the truth and how beautifully does it harmonize with the last benediction of the Coming One: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:14. How valuable is the truth! I thank God that I have ever been led to behold the truth, and had a heart given me to obey it. Such, if they continue therein, will soon hear the Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” It is said that a country woman went into a store on Hanover St., Boston, one day, and, putting four dollars on the counter, remarked to a clerk: “There; fourteen years ago—’twill be fifteen this fall—I bought something next door, and gave them a dollar bill; but they couldn’t give me the change, so they sent a boy into the next shop, and he brought me back the change for five dollars instead of one. I took it, but ’tain’t no use; I ain’t going to keep it any longer; so there it is, all back again.” And before the astonished clerk had time to make any inquiries, she was gone. Poor woman. She had endured fourteen years of trouble for a single sin, and at last had to confess and make restitution. It was well that she had courage and grace to do it finally. We heard of an old, gray-headed man who took a returned missionary aside one day, and confessed to him how fifty years before, when they were boys together he picked up and kept a quarter of a dollar which the missionary lost, and tried in vain to find. “I have carried the load on my conscience,” said he, “for fifty years, and I would not carry it fifty years longer for the whole world.” And so he paid him back a silver dollar, and begged that he would forgive the sin committed so long ago. It is of “no use” to sin. If you have done wrong, make it right; and the quicker you do it, the better; life is uncertain; time is short, sin is a heavy load here, but it will be heavier still to bear it before the judgment-seat of Christ. Make haste, then, to get rid of every sin; fly to Christ for pardon and for peace, and make ready to stand accepted and blameless in the Judgment-day that is “near and hasteth greatly.” Two Marks of a Spiritually Healthy Church
By Theodore Cuyler
Two things characterize every church that is in the highest condition of spiritual health. The one is that they all worship; the other, that they all work. The first appertains more directly to the heart; the second appertains as well to the head, the hands, and the purse. The fullest combination of the two would almost realize the ideal of church life in the highest form.—Theodore Cuyler. Love the Lord With All Thy Heart
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” The Law and the Gospel.
By James White
THERE has been but one Redeemer of sinners during all the ages of human probation. Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13: 8. The sacred Scriptures reveal but one plan by which fallen man may be saved. In the development of this grand plan there have been in each successive dispensation increased light and glory. But there is no intimation in all the Bible of three plans of salvation, one for the patriarchal age, one for the Jewish, and one for the Christian age. Jesus Christ is the only Redeemer of the fallen sons and daughters of Adam. “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4: 12. The gospel of the Son of God is the good news of pardon and eternal redemption through his dear name. This good news was proclaimed to Adam, and has been embraced by Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, the holy prophets, apostles, and the saints of all ages. In the name of reason and of revelation we protest against that fundamental error, which is being sown broadcast everywhere in our time, that the law of the Father, and the gospel of the Son, are opposed to each other, the one designed to take the place of the other; as if the men of former dispensations were saved by the law without the gospel, and those of the present dispensation are saved by the gospel while disregarding the moral law. It was not possible for sinful man in the ages past to secure a fitness for the inheritance of the saints in light by the divine law alone. There is no ability in law to redeem the transgressor. It is not the province of law, human or divine, to pardon the transgressor of law. The moral law is a rule of right action, condemning the transgressor, and holding him as such until he shall suffer the penalty. The divine law can do no more for the sinner. It is the gospel alone that offers pardon and salvation. Without the gospel of the Son of God, none of the men of the patriarchal and Jewish ages could be saved. It has been the object of the father of falsehood and error, in order to confuse the glorious plan of salvation in the minds of the people, to make it appear that the law of the Father and the gospel of the Son are in conflict. The Jews were incited by the spirit of error to reject Jesus and his gospel, while they clung to the law, their interpretations of which were fearfully warped by their traditions. And many Christians, led on by the same spirit of error, reject the law of the Father, while they profess with great tenacity to cling to the cross and the gospel. The cry of the one was, The law! the law! but away with Christ! The cry of the other is, The gospel of Christ! the gospel! but away with the law. “I and my Father are one,” is the significant declaration of the Son of God. John 10: 30. The Father and the Son were one in creation. “Let us make man in our image.” Gen. 1: 26. And they are evidently one in the great work of man’s redemption, as shown by the triumphant song of jubilee from all the saved when redemption shall be complete. Rev. 7: 9, 10. Let it be borne in mind that these are the redeemed from “all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues.” Abel and Enoch will be there. Righteous Noah, faithful Abraham, and all the holy prophets of God, will be there. And with robes washed in the blood of the Lamb, and bearing palms of victory, through his redeeming power they will stand before him, as well as the apostles and martyrs of Jesus, the reformers, and those saved in the nineteenth century. Hark! Do you hear that universal shout of victory from unnumbered voices? Salvation’s hour complete has come! And now the heavenly plains are ringing with the significant shout: “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” The patriarchs, prophets, and saints of all past ages, join those saved in the present dispensation in ascribing the praise of their salvation to Jesus, the Redeemer; while those who are saved in the present dispensation join the patriarchs, and those saved in the Jewish age, in honors to the Creator and Lawgiver. Hence, the law of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and the gospel of the Lamb of God, both reach across all the ages of human probation, and are in perfect harmony in the salvation of the faithful and obedient. The gospel is the joyful message of salvation through Jesus Christ. We inquire, How early in the sad history of the fallen race was the gospel proclaimed? Was it first given in the days of Christ? of Moses? of Abraham? or of Adam? We distinctly trace the faith and hope of the gospel of the Son of God in that early denunciation of wrath upon Satan, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. In this decree against the author of sin and death, we hear the gospel of the Redeemer as verily as in the song of the angels over the plains of Bethlehem, to the shepherds as they watched their flocks by night. Luke 2: 8-14. Immediately after the fall, hope of a future life hung on Christ as truly as we hang our hopes upon him. When the first sons of Adam brought their offerings to the Lord, Cain in his unbelief brought of the first-fruits of the ground. But Abel, in faith of the great Sacrifice for sin to be manifested in the distant future, brought of the firstlings of his flock. Through that lamb Abel saw the Lamb of God, the Redeemer of the world, and set his hope upon him. In the blood of that firstling, Abel saw the blood of Jesus Christ. He looked forward to Christ, and made his offering in the faith and hope of the gospel, and through it saw the great Sacrifice for sin, as truly as we, looking back to Calvary, see the bleeding Lamb of God through the broken bread and the fruit of the vine at the Lord’s supper. In these emblems we see Christ shedding his blood for our sins on the cross. Abel saw the same in the bleeding, dying firstling which he offered. “And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Gen. 4: 4, 5. The sacred narrative shows that while Abel’s act of faith in the Redeemer to come sealed his righteous character, cost him his life, and placed him at the head of the holy martyrs of Jesus, Cain’s infidelity was regarded as sinful, and was the stepping-stone to the high crime of the murder of his brother, which sealed his character as a vagabond in the earth. The great apostle, in the eleventh chapter of his epistle to the Hebrews, places Abel at the head of the faithful worthies. He speaks of his righteous act of faith, in offering to the Lord in sacrifice the type of the Redeemer to come, in these emphatic words: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying to his gifts. And by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Abel laid hold of the hope that was set before him of the Redeemer to come, and in type embraced Christ. And, as he set the seal to his faith and hope in presenting before the Lord the most fitting emblem of the dying Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, high Heaven bestowed the signal witness that he was righteous. And for nearly six thousand years this eminent preacher of the gospel, though dead, has been speaking of his faith in Christ. The beloved John, in contrasting the infidelity and murderous spirit of Cain with the confiding faith, pure love, and obedience of those who revere the commandments of God, and lay hold of the faith of Jesus Christ, says, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” Abel formed a righteous character, not only in laying hold of the Redeemer to come, by faith through the figure of the firstling of his flock, but by perfecting that saving faith in the act of presenting the sacrifice before the Lord his God. We pass down the brief sacred history of the fallen race to Abraham, and there we find the joyful message of salvation through Jesus Christ, to be extended to the nations of the earth, proclaimed to the trusting, obedient patriarch. Paul speaks of it thus: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Gal. 3: 8. The apostle quotes from Gen. 12: 3. See also verse 7 and chapter 17: 7, 8, where this promise is extended to Abraham’s seed. The gospel of the Son of God is proclaimed to Abraham in this promise, in that it is really a promise of Christ, as argued by the apostle in Gal. 3: 16: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” The promise to Abraham that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed, embraces Jesus Christ as the only hope of salvation of man from all the nations, as stated by the apostle in verse 14: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ.” The faith of Abraham embraces Christ as its glorious object. This is seen in Christ’s reply to the Jews, who boasted in Abraham as their father—“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad.” John 8: 56. The great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ was opened to Abraham, and his faith reached forward even to the restitution by the Son of God. Abraham did not receive the promised inheritance in Canaan. He sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange land, looking forward to the eternal city of the immortal kingdom where Christ shall reign in all his glory upon the new earth. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb. 11: 8-10. The gospel was preached to the children of Israel in the days of Moses. In his epistle to the Hebrew Christians, Paul states that it had been preached to them, as well as to their fathers in a former dispensation. “Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Heb. 4: 2. He also testifies of the Hebrews in the wilderness, that they “were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Cor. 10: 2-4. Moses and the believing Jews had the faith and hope of the gospel. Through the blood of the sacrificial offerings, they saw Christ, and by faith embraced him. Their hopes of the future life were not in the law, but in Christ. The typical system was but the shadow of good things to come, of which Christ, as a sacrifice and mediator, is the center. These good things are the body that casts its shadow back into the Jewish age. The bleeding sacrifices of the former ages were but the shadow, while Christ, bleeding on the cross, was the great reality. The blood of beasts offered by the Jews, understandingly, and in faith, as clearly pointed forward to the blood of Christ, as the Lord’s supper and baptism point back to his sufferings, death, and resurrection. The true church of all the ages is the church of Jesus Christ. He is the world’s only Redeemer. Those who shut themselves up to the New Testament, and have the foundation of the church laid at the resurrection, or at Pentecost, are building too narrow a structure. Let the well instructed disciple, not only sing, “How firm a foundation,” but How broad “a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your hope in his excellent word.” “Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Eph. 2: 20. J. W. Our Periodicals.
By James White
Our periodicals should be a power in the land. We have none too many of them; but they should be better, and more widely circulated. The REVIEW AND HERALD should be regarded as the periodical for the church, and the proper organ for all our missionary workers. No believer, at least east of the plains, should take any of our other periodicals instead of the REVIEW AND HERALD. The Voice of Truth is designed to be “a make up” from the REVIEW, the Health Reformer, and the Instructor, to present a most valuable variety to go out everywhere to those who are not instructed in the reasons of our faith and hope. The scheme of getting up such a paper, to be furnished to Tract and Missionary Societies, and also to those who subscribe for it for their friends at half price, is one that should have the sympathy and hearty co-operation of all the friends of the cause. Bro. Haskell thinks the subscribers of the Voice have come in too slowly. We do not say that all our people in the several States have done their duty in canvassing for the Voice. We do not believe that one-half has been done in properly canvassing that should have been done. But when we hear that about 6,000 names have come in already our fears are aroused that there has been careless canvassing, and that many names have been recklessly sent in of persons who will cast the Voice, unread, with other waste papers. We do not say that we have too many names for the Voice. Instead of 6,000 subscribers, there should be at the present time not less than 15,000. The principal mistake in this whole matter was in not commencing the work in season. The very plan which was finally adopted, five months later, we fully matured on the cars from Oakland to Battle Creek the first of August, 1874, and it should have been put in immediate operation. We should not have waited for others who were held by a spirit of hesitation. The canvassing for the Voice should have commenced then, and not five months later, to be crowded to that degree as to make the work imperfect. This is a work for the year round, until all our work is done. No State has its full quota of subscribers while there are candid men and women in that State who have not been asked to read The Voice of Truth. We made a mistake in taking hold of work at Battle Creek, which others had neglected, which held us in that city six months. We should have attended all the Eastern Camp-meetings and returned in season to attend the California Camp-meeting the first of last October, and then commenced to issue The Signs of the Times weekly. All our periodicals, but especially The Signs of the Times, have suffered because of our long stay at Battle Creek. While there, we could not find time to write, and since our return we have had heart, head, and hands, full of matters here, preparatory to building. But we have now reached a point in getting things ready to build where we take up the pen with hope and courage in the Lord, that we may be able to do something in his name to add to the interest and value of our good papers. The Signs of the Times is now to be issued weekly. We have received two hundred reams of paper from Michigan at a handsome profit over San Francisco prices. We hope to have our new press successfully running before we leave to attend the camp-meetings. We now decide to circulate The Signs of the Times everywhere, and to receive donations from all the States and Territories. We abandon the idea of confining the Signs to the Pacific Coast States and Territories. Let it go everywhere, and let the subscriptions and donations come in. Mrs. White will occupy considerable space, and we shall do all in our power to add interest and value to the paper. We shall expect to hear from many old friends, and hope to be able to speak to them at the several camp-meetings. We design to spend at least two days at each of the camp-meetings the coming season. We urgently invite brethren who are able to do so to fall into the ranks of the $100 men. One hundred such can be found to raise $10,000 to furnish Presses, Engine, Types and material complete for printing and binding books as soon as the new building shall be ready. Let such donations be forwarded as soon as possible to REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Michigan. Donations for the Signs should be forwarded to The Signs of the Times, Oakland, Cal. Let the names, and subscription price of those who wish pay two dollars a year, and the donations come right along. Eld. J. H. Waggoner, an able and experienced editor, will give the Signs especial attention in our absence. With the blessing of God there will be no failure of the Signs weekly from this time onward. We ask the sympathy, and prayers, and the full co-operation, of those who are true, and faithful, and liberal. May God bless our periodicals, and make them a power in the land to expose error, to herald the truth, and lead honest men and women to Christ, and to Heaven. All our people should have the REVIEW AND HERALD. The Voice of Truth should have a circulation of not less than 15,000. And may The Signs of the Times, especially designed for the Pacific Coast, find friends and supporters everywhere, until it shall obtain patronage and strength sufficient to be self-sustaining by numerous friends within its more natural boundaries. J. W. The present term of school will close March 26, and the spring term commence, Monday, April 5, and continue twelve weeks. By an unfortunate exposure of the boiler of the heating apparatus to frost, at the beginning of the cold weather, which burst one of the plates, and made it necessary to send it back to the factory in Illinois for repairs, the school has for a great portion of the present term been kept out of the new building. By this means both teachers and scholars have labored under great embarrassments and perplexity, and have shown themselves abundantly endowed with the rare grace of patience. We expect that hereafter due care will be used, and no such annoyance be again experienced. We consider the past term, under the circumstances, a very successful one, and look for the spring term to be full and prosperous. T. S.