"He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments." Deut. 4:13. "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of My lips." Ps. 89:34. "For I am the Lord, I change not." Mal. 3:6. From these three texts it is evident that before the Lord could alter any part of his law, he must deny himself. See 2 Tim. 2:13.
Of Christ the prophet says: "Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Ps. 40:7, 8. This agrees with the prophecy of Isa. 42:21: "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable." And says Christ, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17. He magnified the law by sweeping away the rubbish of Jewish tradition, which had well nigh made the commandment of none effect, and taught that the commandment was exceeding broad, being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. See Mark 7:9, 13; Matt. 5:21-28. He fulfilled the law by living in harmony with its every requirement. See John 15:10. And we are told that if we fulfill the royal law, we do well, but that if we offend in one point, we are guilty of all. James 2:8-12. Christ is our great pattern. He fulfilled the law, and if we would copy him, we must fulfill it too; for "he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6.
The Psalmist says: "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth." "All thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119:142, 172. God's law, being the transcript of his righteous character, is called his righteousness. "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments." Deut. 6:25. All laws reflect the character of the power which made them, and the subjects of all governments are law abiding or lawless according as they fulfill or violate the laws. God is a righteous Governor; his law is a righteous law; and we, his subjects, are righteous or unrighteous according to the relation we sustain to that law. In Deut. 6:24 we find that the Lord commanded us to do these statutes for our good, that he might preserve us alive. Thus we see that the object in giving a righteous law was that man by obeying it might attain unto life.
But says Paul, "The commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death." Rom. 7:10. Then for some reason the law failed of its object in Paul's case. The reason for this failure is given in verse 14: "For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin." See chapter 5:12. Thus it appears that the law which was ordained unto life through obedience, can of itself bring only death to the human family, because of inability to render that obedience. So we hear Paul crying in the bitterness of despair, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7:24. But God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, must have shined in Paul's heart just then, to give him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, for immediately he thanks God for deliverance through Jesus Christ. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:3, 4. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ." Rom. 3:20-22. "For Christ is the end [or object] of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Rom. 10:4.
To illustrate, suppose I have a piece of gold ore which I think has some dross in it. I subject it to a chemical test which at once reveals the dross; then I put it in a crucible, and burn out all the dross, and again subject it to the same test. You will observe that the same test which before condemned the base metal, now witnesses to the purity of the unalloyed gold. Thus the human heart, by nature sinful, when subjected to the test of God's law is shown to be full of dross; but after having all the dross washed out in the blood of Jesus, then the crucial test can reveal nothing but the righteousness of Christ. You will observe that the same law which condemns the sinner remains as a witness to the righteousness of the new creature in Christ Jesus. "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
Grass Valley, Cal.
WITTY DEGENERACY.
By J. M. Reilly
This disease, as it affects moral and religious effort, seems to be of quite modern origin. Within a few years there has been quite a revolution in methods of carrying on revival and reformatory work. Instead of the stagnation, formality, and dry theology of a few years ago, the opposite extreme has become the order of the day. No doubt the change has come about mainly through an effort to imitate the style of Sam Jones and the Salvation Army. In consequence of this tendency, a spirit of frolic often prevails as a kind of parody on the "joy of the Lord," and real conviction is almost unknown. It has come to be regarded as "the proper thing" to say cute and witty things, even in the pulpit, to produce a laugh; and in many instances, at least in the West, it is not regarded as a breach of decorum to stamp the feet and clap the hands and raise a general hurrah in applause of the clownishness of the preacher, and sometimes the "fool laughs at his own folly." Imagine the Lord Jesus, or the apostle793Paul, or John Wesley, "drawing the people" and "reaching the masses" by the use of apish buffoonery and barroom raillery. Good Lord, deliver us!—J. M. Reilly.
"AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE."
By Mrs. F. A. Reynolds
CHAPTER V.—A SENSATION.
ETHEL'S funeral was largely attended, and was very impressive. Two of their acquaintances thus called to leave earth's active pursuits could not fail to impress Paul and Hope with the idea of the uncertainty of life.
"Be ye also ready," said Mrs. Manton one day. "That means be ready, but not gloomy. Be cheerful workers until you are called."
The days wore away with work and study, and each day brought nearer the long summer vacation, and Mr. Gordon's return.
One afternoon Hope came home quite early, and walked up the path so much more quietly than usual that evidently her mother had not heard her approach.
She heard a murmur of voices from the sitting room, as she sank on the piazza step to rest and "cool off," and wondered who was with her mother.
Very soon Mrs. Manton came to the open window and looked out, as if for the children. She was saying: "You are right, Mrs. Allen, it is very sad business; a disgrace! But do not let us talk any more about it now; I expect Paul and Hope any minute now."
"And they are not allowed to hear gossip, I presume," said Mrs. Allen with a little laugh. "That is right, too. I dislike to have Bertha hear this scandal, but she is sure to get hold of it at school."
Hope thought she had heard enough and went into the house, where she met Mrs. Allen, and then retired to her own room to study. She had forgotten the little scrap of conversation she had overheard, when, about three days afterward, she bounded into the house crying out:—
"O mamma, I've just heard a terrible thing! Belle Singer told me. She said"—
"Is it gossip, my dear?" asked Mrs. Manton.
"I don't know. What is gossip, mamma?"
"Talk about others," replied her mother. "It may be ill-natured or good-natured, but retailing neighborhood news is unprofitable, if not wicked."
"Yes, mamma, I know, and I shouldn't tell this to anyone else, but I thought you liked me to tell you everything—besides, I want to ask you something about it."
"Yes, Hope, I do like you to tell me when you hear, and I shall be much pleased if you will do all your gossiping with me."
"Well, mamma, you remember that Mrs. Claremont, whom I thought so pretty, and liked so well? Do you know, mamma, she has left her husband, and two little children and her pretty home, and has gone off with a man to live with him somewhere? Isn't it awful, mamma? Think of the two babies without any mother, and not real orphans either."
"It is terrible!" said Mrs. Manton, with an involuntary shudder. "I heard something of this the other day, but hoped you need not know of it."
"Is that what Mrs. Allen was talking about the day she was here, just as I got home from school?"
"Yes. Why, Hope?"
"I heard you tell her not to talk about something, for we would soon be home."
"That was it. But what is it you wish to ask?"
"Why, mamma, can Mrs. Claremont marry the man she has gone off with?"
"Not while she is Mr. Claremont's wife," said Mrs. Manton.
"Well, isn't it wrong to live with a man who is not her husband?"
"Certainly, dear."
"I should think there would have been a commandment about it," observed Hope thoughtfully. "For, if people can run away from their own families to go off with someone else, things will get awfully mixed up, I should think."
"There is a commandment about it. The seventh tells us plainly to regard the rights of husbands and wives. Well, we shall find that the ten commandments comprise a law for man's duties towards his God and his fellow men, in every respect. God knew, as you remarked, that if families separated just as they pleased, things would be mixed up, so he gave that commandment."
"I am glad you told me, mamma; I wondered what that meant. I didn't know God had said anything about that, but I felt it was wrong as soon as I heard of it," said Hope.
Then she added in a low voice, "I thought what a horrid thing it would be if my mamma—but you couldn't, mamma, you love papa and us children too well."
"Indeed, my dear," replied Mrs. Manton. "I love you all as much as I am capable, but I do not depend on my love for you to help me to do right, so much as on the love I bear Christ, and his strength."
"I suppose we need that to help us keep all the commandments," observed Hope thoughtfully.
"Yes, and in his strength we can do it. He says, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'"
"But, mamma, these are God's commandments."
"Does not Christ say he and his Father are one? Then God's commandments are his. Besides, we are told that all things were made by Christ, and again that the Creator gave the ten commandments; so that is one reason why we cannot believe they were done away with at his death."
"Yes," replied Hope hesitatingly, "but Bertha Allen asked me the other day what Christ meant when he said, 'A new commandment give I unto you.'"
"Well?"
"It means, doesn't it, that all the ten are to be kept in a spirit of love?"
"I think so, dear. Love will make us keep them properly."
"And then you remember, mamma, Christ once said, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength; this is the first and10great commandment; and the second is like to it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Did he mean those to take the place of the ten?"
"Consider the question, Hope. If one loves God wholly, as he should, will he love or worship anything more than God? Will he make any image contrary to his desire? Will he use his name in vain? Will he desecrate his day?"
"No, of course not," replied Hope with a glimmer of the meaning dawning upon her.
"And if a man loves his neighbor as himself (his neighbor meaning his fellow-beings), will he not honor his parents? Will he not respect his neighbor's life, his family relations, his property, his good name, not even desiring to take any good from him? Don't you see, Hope, that Christ's first and great commandment includes the first four of the ten, and the second includes the last six of those given on Mt. Sinai?"
"Oh, yes, mamma, I do! It is so nice to think of it that way."
"Remember, too, Christ said he came to fulfill the law, and even stated that he had kept his Father's commandments. Look up these statements with the concordance. I must go now, and see that Jane has dinner ready. It is nearly six; did you know it?"
HOW THE FIRST CHRISTIANS PRAYED.
By E. P. Hammond
IT will do us good to observe how those early Christians did their praying. There is not one wordy, long-winded, rambling specimen of prayer to be found in the record which Luke has left us. Just turn to his account of the prayer meetings, which he has given, in the fourth chapter of his book of Acts, or in the twelfth chapter. Compare them with the average prayer meeting of our modern churches. At the first-mentioned meeting the apostolic company had a specific want to be supplied. They asked God to give them "boldness to speak the word." Their printed prayer occupies just seven sentences. In the following sentences it is narrated that they were at once filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. That was praying at a mark. They did not scatter their fire over an acre of vague generalities, as is the manner in too many prayer gatherings. A distinct aim brought their request to one given point. What they asked for they got. Not a shadow of doubt appears to have crossed their minds that God could not give them or would not give them the very thing they wanted. In drawing a check at a bank we never put anything on the face of the paper but the sum of money we require. Faith should be equally simple and concise when it "draws" on the Giver of all grace.
Observe, too, that in that little assemblage, in the house of John Mark, the one aim was to deliver Peter from the dungeon. They prayed until they got him. In fact, the answer came so quick that they were taken all aback when Rhoda reported that Peter was actually standing at the front door. They told her she was crazy, or had seen his angel.
There is many an imprisoned soul, fast bound by Satan's chains, for whose deliverance we are to pray. Nor should we cease praying until we see him at the gateway of life, knocking for admission.—E. P. Hammond.
THE GRANDEST MOTIVE TO HOLINESS.
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
It has been said that if we tell men that good works cannot save them, but that Jesus saves the guilty who believe in him, we take away all motive for morality and holiness. We meet that with a direct denial; it is not so; we supply the grandest motive possible, and only remove a vicious and feeble motive. We take away from man the idea of performing good works in order to salvation, because it is a lie; good works will not save a sinner, nor is he able to perform them if they could save him. But when we tell men, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved," if they exercise faith they are saved; and being saved, there grows up in their hearts gratitude to God, and from this springs a loving desire to serve God on account of what he has done; and this motive is not only very powerful, but it is very pure, because the man does not then serve God with a view to self, but he serves him out of love; and works done out of love to God are the only good works possible to men.—Rev. C. H. Spurgeon.
THINK, AND SAY, "NO."
DARE to say, "No," when you're tempted to drink;
Pause for a moment, my brave boy, and think,—
Think of the wrecks upon life's ocean tossed,
For answering, "Yes," without counting the cost;
Think of the mother who bore you in pain,
Think of the tears that will fall like rain,
Think of her heart, and how cruel the blow,
Think of the danger to body and soul,
Think of sad lives, once pure as the snow,
Look at them now, and at once answer, "No."
Think of a manhood with rum-tainted breath,
Think of its end, and the terrible death,
Think of the homes now shadowed with woe,
Might have been heaven, had the answer been,
"No."
Think of the lone graves, both unwept and unknown,
Hiding fond hopes that were fair as your own.
Think of proud forms now forever laid low,
That might still be here, had they learned to say,
"No."
Think of the demon that lurks in the bowl,
Driving to ruin both body and soul.
Think of all this as life's journey you go,
And when you're assailed by the tempter, say, "No."
—Selected.
WAS HE CRAZY, OR A CRANK?
By M. Jeanie Mallary
BY M. JEANIE MALLARY.
"It was a shame to put that schoolhouse right in the midst of Neighbor Maddox's farm."
"Perhaps you did not know," was replied, "that he made the county a present of the site, a two-acre grove, and a fine freestone spring of water."
"Is the man a crank, or is he crazy?" was asked.
"He is neither," was answered, "but in my opinion he has made the biggest mistake of his life."
It was fall when school began, and, though it was a busy season on the farm, the boys often went at dinner recess to have a pleasant chat with Farmer Maddox. One day he said: "I had once a queer neighbor, boys, a very queer neighbor, for he didn't like boys at all, yet had three of his own. Now he had some wild goose plum trees near his house, and once some mischievous boys robbed them, when next day whack went his ax, and down came the trees. Then secret visits were paid to his elder bushes for whistles and popguns, and whack went the ax, and down fell the bushes. Afterward, a noble chestnut tree was robbed, and that went too. I didn't know what that queer man would do next, so I went to him and said: 'Neighbor, I am sorry to see you using your ax so freely about here, just because you have been robbed a time or two. There are two sides to every question, my friend, and two sides to every boy, and you must look at both sides before you can come to a fair and square understanding of him.' But my neighbor wouldn't listen, and before the next spring he had gone where he hoped there were no more boys. Now, my children, if there is such a country, I don't want to go to it. I have two boys; they are grown up and gone now, and I can say, in the fear of God, that they never gave their dear mother and me a pang of grief in their lives. I wish I had some more; a dozen wouldn't be too many; and I am going to take you all for mine, shall clasp you to my heart and hold you there, my own dear boys. Now, children, I have plenty of elder bushes, plenty of China trees, so get as many popguns as you want, and whistles too. Come boldly in at the front gate. I keep no dog, and be assured there is always a welcome waiting for you at my house. Behind your schoolhouse I have planted a melon patch just for you. As soon as you think they are ripe, you shall have a wagon to carry them to your different homes. I have plenty of other fruit too, boys. Come and help me enjoy it. Be manly and honest, remembering that as the boy is, so will be the man."
A rainy fall set in and farmers were in distress. So suddenly and continuously had the rain fallen that corn and fodder were spoiling on the stalks, and hay was decaying in the meadows. Farmer Maddox' crop was all safely housed, his barn and cribs were full, his fields all bare.
"It was those blessed boys did it," he said, his eyes swimming in tears. "I always said that love would beget love, and kindness would receive a reward even in this world, but it was so little I did, and so big a reward I received. God bless the boys is my earnest prayer."—Young Reaper.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL CATS.
THE Persian cat is born to the happiest fate of any of his family, for, according to the tales of travelers, he is, in his native land, not only loved and cherished, not only well treated and admired, but thoroughly respected, and he has an acknowledged position and rights. In form the bewitching Persian does not greatly differ from the Angora, but the tail is much more effective, for the longest and the thickest set hairs being at the tip, they form a magnificent plume, which the dignified owner carries proudly erect, waving in the air as he moves. In his splendid silky coat is not a trace of wooliness, and it clothes the graceful creature from the tips of his ears to the well "feathered" toes.
Unless some undreamed-of feline marvel shall yet be unearthed, this animal must forever be regarded as the perfect flower of the domestic cat family. Not only does he easily surpass all his competitors in beauty and grace, but he possesses charms of disposition and manner and dignity of bearing, and, while most affectionate and loving, is still self-respecting and independent.—Harper's Bazaar.
TOBACCO POISONING.
By G. W. C.
BY G. W. C.
A NUMBER of years ago the writer of this baked a score or more of apples and put them into a circular wooden box, steaming hot from the oven. The apples were shut in with a close-fitting cover and left to cool for several hours. When the next meal came, he ate quite freely of these sweet baked apples, the result of which was he became deathly sick. Baked apples had always agreed with him before and he was at a loss to account for his sickness in this case. He was so weak, and his heart action so rapid and irregular, that he thought for some time that he would die. But after several hours his heart quieted down, and prostration followed. He was so weak that he could scarcely walk; and it was two or three days before he recovered his usual health and strength.
What was the cause?—This circular wooden box had been used to keep several pounds of fine-cut tobacco in, and, although the apples did not touch the box anywhere, being stacked up on a plate somewhat smaller than the diameter of the box, the steam of them must have set free the volatile oil that permeated the box and this penetrated the apples; or perhaps condensed drops from the cover may have fallen on the apples and poisoned them in that way.
I knew another case of tobacco poisoning that was nearly fatal. A man of my acquaintance had washed himself with a decoction of plug tobacco, to kill the itch, which he had contracted while teaching a school in one of the rural districts of the west. He felt himself fast going into an unconscious state, but he roused himself sufficiently to jump out of bed and run, or rather stagger, to a washtub full of water, and plunged in, taking a sitz bath, and at the same time he dashed the water on his head and bathed his breast, spine, and, later on, his lower limbs. He did this several times and then poured out the water and pumped the tub full of fresh water and repeated the operation several times. This was on a warm summer night. By washing himself off thoroughly several times he believed he saved his life. He was weak for several days afterwards.
KEEPING THE HOUSE IN ORDER.
Mrs. Fairchild was sick, and as there was no help in the kitchen, there was nothing for Mr. Fairchild to do when he came home at night but turn in for an evening of housework.
There was always an accumulation of dishes to wash, rooms to sweep, and shelves to arrange, to say nothing of meals that must be either bought or cooked.
He did not mind the work for a few nights, it seemed only a relief from his office work; but what puzzled and annoyed him was that nothing stayed in order. There was just the same dishes to wash and just the same rooms to sweep night after night; there was no change, no variety, in the work. After a week of it he became heartily tired of housework, but he had to keep at it just the same.
In time Mrs. Fairchild's health returned, and household matters ran again in the smooth, comfortable way as of old, with this difference, that Mrs. Fairchild noticed that her husband never asked her when she was going to do this or why she had not done that.
She was surprised to find that he was even wearing some of his clothes unmended.
She chided him gently for not having told her of his wants, and he replied:—
"Why, dear, I never realized how hard your work, even your sewing, was until you were sick and I had it to do. I tried to mend the lining of my coat one day; it took me an hour to do it, and I was actually tired when it was done. I never realized," he added, "what heroines good wives and mothers are to do the drudgery of housekeeping uncomplainingly and unflinchingly for months and years together, with often never a word of appreciation from those for whom they work."
Dear, tired housewife, don't get discouraged because the house will not stay in order. It is a mountainous task to keep a house in order; don't try too hard; be particular indeed about actual cleanliness, but better tolerate a little disorder than worry your life out overdoing what will never stay done.
Said an old housekeeper, who had learned to select what she could let go: "If it were not for the delusion women have that sometime everything would be done, they would not have the heart to keep on. This delusion is a mirage that keeps them always working."
A housekeeper's work can never be finished. She is always working at it. Let her realize that there is no nobler work, no work that has a wider or more far-reaching influence, humble as it may seem.—Selected.
POTATOES AND ELECTRICITY.
A FRENCHMAN declares that vegetation can be aided by electricity. Potatoes planted in the path of the electric current grew enormously, and electrified tomatoes became ripe eight days before the others.
A CONVERTED BUDDHIST NUN IN JAPAN.
By Mrs. L. Pierson
BY MRS. L. PIERSON.
WE have recently been greatly tried with regard to a converted Buddhist priestess, young, gifted, and beautiful, who has joined our corps of Bible readers. Her name is Ochiye San, which means "wisdom." She attended our meetings in Gifu, was there convicted of sin and converted. Her great desire was to study the Bible and to work for the Lord Jesus; so, after a few preliminaries, she came to us. She had been living with an old aunt, also a Buddhist priestess, who reluctantly gave her permission to enter our class of Bible readers, upon which Ochiye San immediately acted.
She came alone, almost a stranger to us, with her hair shaven, and wearing the costume of the Buddhist nun. I gladly received her, knowing that the Lord, who is rich in treasures and resources, would provide for her, although there was no special appropriation for her. When she had been with us about a week, the old aunt, induced by the Buddhists, came to take her home. We reasoned and expostulated, but seemingly without result. We prayed most fervently that the dear child might be permitted to remain among her Christian sisters until her faith was mature and her work for Jesus accomplished.
The relatives had the legal power to withdraw her from us, as she was in her minority. The aunt went to the police to secure their coöperation, and the niece was summoned to appear before those authorities. They inquired why she had renounced Buddhism. She was very firm and steadfast, and replied: "I was sent by my parents when very young to serve in the temple. Then I did not know about the only true God and my Saviour Jesus Christ. As soon as I learned about this happy life in Jesus, I longed for it; my sins were great, but he has forgiven them, and I believe in him as my Saviour."
The police were angry, but did not undertake to remove her from us violently. After another earnest season of prayer we prevailed with the aunt, who returned home, leaving Ochiye San with us. We were very thankful, recognizing and acknowledging that the victory was of the Lord.
A few days subsequently an older brother came, with a firm purpose to take his sister home, indignant that she should dare depart from the superstitions of her ancestors. The Bible women and myself spent the whole day reasoning and expostulating with him, praying for full deliverance from the enemy. I gave him the four gospels, which he reluctantly accepted.
The next morning he came again, accompanied by a police officer. My constant petitions were to the Almighty Father for victory full and complete, and he gave it. The police officer favored our cause, although not a Christian. The Holy Spirit thus moved upon his heart, and suddenly the brother's resolution gave way, and his whole aspect changed. He said he would leave his sister with us, return home, and persuade his parents to allow her to remain. He said also he would examine the gospels I had given him, and he departed in peace. God is faithful, and we praise his holy name. The young girl has ten brothers, who are farmers, living about two hundred miles from Yokohama.—Missionary Link.
RECOMPENSE.
By Rosetta Lunt Sutton
Buffeting with the ills of life,
Friend, is thy courage failing?
Hearest thou through its peans proud
The undertone of wailing?
Leaving the valley where roses bloomed
And musical streams were meeting,
Feeling the wind from the mountains blow,
Lift up thy brow in greeting.
Lose not heart, though the tempest rage;
Why shouldst thou shrink in terror?
Lo! how the thunderbolts of Truth
Shiver the rocks of Error!
What if thy delicate garlands die
Treading the flints of duty?
Yonder wait for thy hands' caress
The amaranth's fadeless beauty.
Christ is the King of glory, too,
Although he was Lord of sorrow,
And over the dark hills of to-day
Radiant shines to-morrow.
—Rosetta Lunt Sutton.
MISSION NOTES.
THE "Heavenly Foot Society" in China is attempting a crusade against the practice of binding the feet of women.
It has been computed that the average giving of Protestant Christians to missions is about thirty-seven cents apiece annually.
A mission to lepers, India, founded in Edinburg in 1874, has thirty different centers, in connection with twelve missionary societies.
When the missionaries first went to Uganda, sixteen years ago, there was no written language. Now ten thousand of the population are able to read their language.
"This will do more for Christianity than anything that has been done, for our people know nothing of such love as this," say the native Japanese Christians of a hospital that missionaries are erecting for lepers.
The Chinese Christians in America give more than American Christians. With a membership of 161 in the various churches in California, the Chinese raised last year $629,040 for all benevolences, or $39.07 for each member.
The most liberal contributor to the Methodist Episcopal mission in Singapore is a Chinese banker, Mr. Tan Jiakkim. He gave fifteen hundred dollars for the mission in that city, and collected from his Chinese friends nearly five thousand dollars more.
It is gratifying to note that practically all the missionary societies in England have this year been able to report an increase of income. The London Missionary Society alone is obliged to speak of a deficit, but the deficit is owing simply to an increase of expenditure.—Christian at Work.
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BIBLE SANCTIFICATION:
A CONTRAST OF
TRUE AND FALSE THEORIES.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
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Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.
The Bantam Rooster’s Crowing
It would probably be hard to convince a bantam rooster that his crowing doesn't have a good deal to do with making the sun rise.—Ram's Horn.
RANGOON LEPERS.
IN an appeal for funds sent out by the mission to lepers in India, 17 Glengyle Terrace, Edinburgh, the following description by Henry C. Moore, late of Rangoon, is given by this terribly afflicted and unfortunate people in that city. It shows that Buddhists will do little or nothing to relieve them:—
"Forty years of beneficent English rule have changed Rangoon from a collection of bamboo and mat huts, built over a malarial swamp, into a large and wealthy city. Pilgrims as of yore flock from all parts of the country, to kneel on the platform of the golden pagoda, and repeat the pala sentences which they committed to memory while children in the Buddhist schools. They gaze in admiration at the wonders of the famous building—the tall gilded and jeweled spire glittering in the fierce sun, with a brilliancy that is perfectly dazzling, the huge images of Gautama Buddha, the hideous dragons, the horrible frescoes and enormous bells.
"Truly the place is magnificent in its barbaric splendor, but there is one sight which fills every visitor, be he pilgrim, tourist, or European exile, with pity. On the steps of the main staircase which leads to the pagoda platform sit, from morning till night, a number of poor Burmese lepers, who hold up their maimed hands and beg with husky voices from the passers-by. The condition of the lepers there and in other parts of Rangoon is something terrible. Most of them have their faces disfigured by the fearful disease, many are blind, and some that I saw were so mutilated about the hands and feet that they were compelled to crawl about on their elbows and knees.
"Unfortunately, the number of lepers in Rangoon increases yearly and will continue to do so, for as the railways open up the country, the lepers will quit their native villages, where they are burdens to their friends, and go down to Rangoon to beg at the golden pagoda. The pilgrims as they hurry by respond generously to their afflicted countrymen's appeals; but nevertheless leprosy is a subject which a Burman will not readily discuss with anyone, for he dislikes the very mention of it, preferring to forget, if possible, that the fearful disease exists. If by chance he should talk about it, he declares that lepers are being punished for their sins in a previous existence, and that if they lead meritorious lives they will be born again and live free from the terrible taint."
FIELD NOTES.
By Editor
SINCE September 1 sixty-one members have been added to the church at Battle Creek, Mich.
MRS. ELO BOUTWELL, Spartansburg, Crawford County, Pa., desires back numbers of our periodicals for missionary work.
ELDER D. T. BOURDEAU reports the baptism of eight persons who united with the church at Midway, Washington County, Pa.
SISTER LOTTIE KESLAR, of Castroville, Cal., expresses many thanks for the papers which have been so kindly sent her for missionary work.
THE secretary of the Colorado Tract Society desires us to give notice that the depository and office of the society have been removed to 1112 South Eleventh Street, Denver, Colo.
ELDER CLARENCE SANTEE reports the organization of a new church of thirty-three members at North Springfield, Mo. He was joined in labor by Brethren P. E. Ferrin and T. A. Hoover.
AT the recent State camp meeting at Herington, Kansas, there were over 1,000 persons encamped, 300 of whom were Germans. The number baptized was 105. Five new churches were added to the Conference.
THE young people connected with our churches in the North Fitzroy and Prahran suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, are organized into four missionary societies, which include the entire city and vicinity in fields of labor.
THE late Missouri camp meeting, held at Sedalia, was composed of over 100 tents and about 600 campers. Sixty-two were baptized. Seven new churches, with an aggregate membership of 163, were admitted to the Conference.
THE latest word from Elder O. A. Olsen was sent from London, September 18. He then expected to sail for Cape Town, South Africa, on the 22d, where he would remain till October 4, and then sail for Australia and New Zealand.
ELDER L. JOHNSON, writing to the Review from Hadsell, Nordland, Norway, September 7, says: "The canvassers have good success all over the field in taking orders for books, and the Lord gives us new tokens of his mercy and love every day."
BROTHER G. F. WATSON reports to the Workers' Bulletin that nine new members were added to the church at West Union, Iowa, as a result of a series of meetings. Others are keeping the Sabbath of the Lord who have not yet united with the church.
THE Foreign Mission Board has decided to have Elder J. O. Corliss and W. A. Colcord go to Australia and New Zealand. They will sail from San Francisco early in November, and be accompanied by their families. Elder Corliss accompanied the pioneer band that opened up the work in that field in 1885, and returned to America in the spring of 1887.
ELDER S. N. HASKELL arrived at his home in Napa, Cal., on the 5th inst., after an absence of about four months, during which time he made a tour of the various European centers of our work. He preached two sermons at College View, Neb., on Sabbath, the 30th ult. The morning discourse was published in full in the Enterprise, of that city.
OUR work in Florida has been organized into a State Conference. It comprises six churches, 139 members, three ordained and two licensed ministers, four licensed missionaries, and two new tents for field work. Officers were elected as follows: President, J. W. Collie; Vice President, L. H. Crisler; Secretary and Treasurer, Charles Garvin. Headquarters of the Conference for the present is established at Orlando. A tract society was also organized, with Alex. Mitchell as secretary and treasurer, and C. P. Whitford as corresponding secretary.
IN the San Francisco Chronicle of the 15th inst. there appeared an article on "The Female Divines of this Coast," from which we cull the following paragraph:—
The oldest and most experienced feminine preacher on this coast is Mrs. Ellen G. White, of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. Her home is in Healdsburg, but she has been absent for more than a year engaged in mission work in Australia and New Zealand. She is regarded by her sect as an inspired seeress and prophetess. She has frequent visions, and receives, as she claims, revelations and instructions, which she commits to writing. As a preacher
Mrs. White exhibits remarkable power. Her language, though always simple, is forcible, and her illustrations are apt. Her strength of voice and clearness of articulation are such that she can be distinctly heard by the largest audiences, and in the open air she has frequently addressed congregations numbering many thousands.