VOL. 
I. 
BATTLE 
CREEK, 
MICH., FEBRUARY, 
1889. 
No. 2. 
Fourth Sabbath Readii^. 
Persona desiring THE HOME MISSIONARY, who are situated so that 
they can attend services on the fourth Sabbath, will confer a favor by-
having it sent in a club to the librarian of 1 heir local tract society. 
Copies 
thns sent will be distributed to subscribers on the fourth Sabbath. 
In 
order that the address which this paper contains may be new to all, it 
should not be exhibited before that time. 
The person who is to read the address should become familiar with it, 
and then do his best to read it in an interesting and intelligible manner. 
Brief remarks on different points presented by the address, in the way of 
explanation or illustration, if to the point, will break the monotony of 
reading, and add interest to the exercise. 
It may be well, sometimes, to 
sing, at intervals, short stanzas of some appropriate missionary hymn 
Avoid making these exercises tiresome. 
Rather than do this, it will 
be better to omit some of the less important portions of the address. 
PROMPTNESS 
AND 
EFFICIENCY 
IN 
OUR 
WORK. 
THESE two elements, promptness and efficiency, are 
necessary in order to gain the best success in any 
business. 
The Lord's work is the most important 
work there is in the world ; and the proclamation of 
the third angel's message is, perhaps, the most im-
portant work ever committed to men. 
It is to be a 
quick work. 
The angel, the symbol representing this 
work, was seen flying in the midst of heaven (Eev. 
14 : 6, 9) ; and the prophet says, " He will finish the 
work, and cut it short in righteousness ; because a 
short work will the Lord make upon the earth." 
Then as the Lord's work at the present time is so 
important, and the time so short in which it must 
be done, it follows that promptness and efficiency 
should characterize it in every department. 
But 
how to bring in these elements is the practical ques-
tion that we want to consider in this reading. 
First, 
then, in order to have promptness and efficiency, it is 
necessary to have — 
ORDER 
AND 
SYSTEM. 
« And David said, ... I have neither brought my 
sword nor my weapon with me, because the king's 
business required haste." 
1 Sam. 21 : 8. 
From the 
time when Saul sent his servants in haste, on foot, to 
execute his orders, until the time of Ahasuerus, five 
hundred years later, when the " posts on horseback, 
and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries, 
. . being hastened and pressed by the king's com-
mandment," carried the letters which Mordecai had 
dictated, to the officers of the hundred, twenty, and 
seven provinces of the Medo-Persian empire, to save 
the lives of God's people who were doomed to destruc-
tion, the work of organization and improvement to 
gain rapid and efficient service, had been going on. 
Since the days of Ahasuerus, still more remarkable 
improvements have been made, till, at the present 
time, the decree of the ruler, given in his capitol, is 
in a few moments flashed over the wires, or spoken 
through the telephone, to all parts of his dominions. 
It is multiplied by the press and carried by the fast 
mails, at a rate that would have seemed incred-
ible to any generation than the one now living. 
An 
important event occurs; the reporter writes it out 
and hands it to the operator, who flashes it across 
the wires, a thousand miles or more, to the editor; 
the editor passes it on to the composing-room, where 
it is divided up and quickly put into type ; next it 
is sent to the press-room; the pressman starts his 
press and prints the sheets ; the mailing clerk pre-
pares them for the mail, and sends them to the train ; 
the fast mail hurries along with its valuable freight 
to distant cities ; the news agents are waiting to re-
ceive the papers, and soon, through their newsboys, 
they place them in the hands of their customers. 
The customer sits by his fire, and leisurely reads in 
the daily paper, published hundreds of miles away, 
accurate reports of events that happened but a few 
hours before, thousands of miles from his quiet home. 
56 
THE 
1I0ME 
MISSIONARY. 
Order and system,, with rapid and efficient service, util-
izing the inventions of the age, have accomplished 
this astonishing result. 
But this brings us to consider another point that is 
necessary to success ; viz., that every laborer must 
be at his post — 
READY 
FOR 
WORK. 
In the illustration used above, every man had to 
be in his place. 
Every one had to do his work ac-
curately and promptly. 
There could have been no 
missing links in the chain, no hesitation at any point 
while the work was in progress. 
The least hesita-
tion would have spoiled it all. 
More than one hundred years ago, when the lib-
erties of the American colonies were in peril, faith-
ful, patriotic men banded themselves together and 
agreed to go, at a moment's warning, to the defense 
of their country. 
They were called " minute men." 
It is said that Gen. Putnam heard of the battle of 
Lexington while plowing in his field, and leaving 
his plow in the furrow, and without returning to his 
house, he joined the army of patriots, and marched 
against the enemy. 
Such service proved very effec-
tive in those times of national danger. 
At the present day, the nations of the earth are 
all agog for anything that will be for their temporal 
interests. 
The great statesmen of earth rival each 
other in trying to perfect plans more thoroughly to 
defend themselves, or for the more wholesale de-
struction of their fellow-men. 
Millions of dollars 
are spent in this way every year, and hundreds of 
thousands of men are kept in active service, and 
hundreds of thousands more are trained and ready 
to go at an hour's warning to defend their own 
country or to take advantage of the weakness of 
another, to add to their own power and wealth. 
Railroads are built to transport armies and supplies ; 
telegraph wires are put up to carry the news ; arse-
nals are established to furnish arms and ammunition ; 
military schools are supported to educate and train 
officers. 
All this, and much more, is done at great 
expense, labor, and care, for purely temporal ends, 
that they may be — 
READY 
FOR ANY 
EMERGENCY. 
Is the work of God of less importance than civil 
governments ? 
Should there be less of careful prep-
aration, less of wise planning on our part than on 
theirs? 
Should we have fewer facilities for the 
defense of moral truth, or for the vigorous attack of 
"spiritual wickedness in high places," than they 
have for the defense of their own nations or the 
conquest of others? 
Should their patriotism excel 
our love for present truth ? or should their devotion 
to their leaders exceed our allegiance to Christ? 
In 
any of these things, should the people of the world 
excel the people of God ? 
And yet are not the peo-
ple of the world in many respects more devoted to 
their work than the people of God are to the third 
angel's message? 
Christ has said, — and it is said 
to the shame of his followers, — " The children of 
this world are in their generation wiser than the 
children of light." 
Luke 16 :8. 
We have but to 
consider a moment to be convinced that the " chil-
dren of this world" make a better use of their 
money, their men, their opportunities, and their tal-
ents, to further their worldly interests, than the "chil-
dren of light" do of theirs — 
TO ADVANCE THE WORK 
OF GOD. 
Should this be so? — Evidently not. 
We, as a people, are now in an important period 
in our history, as all readily agree. 
Men are needed 
to lecture on National Reform ; men and women are 
needed to circulate petitions ; others to work in the 
canvassing field; and still others, to do missionary 
woi'k around their homes and in their own churches. 
You may inquire, What proportion of the people 
who believe in the third angel's message should be-
come active workers? 
Our Saviour has answered 
the question in the parable of the laborers, found in 
Matt. 20 :1-16. 
In the last call, at the eleventh 
hour, all that wanted to work and had remained idle 
up to that time, were sent into the vineyard to labor. 
But we may feel inclined to excuse ourselves on the 
ground that we are not prepared to do any kind of 
work successfully, and ask, Should I go anyway, 
if I am not prepared ?—No, by no means ! 
Then 
how can I labor? 
Christ has answered this ques-
tion for us ; hear him : " That servant, which knew 
his lord's will, and prepared not himself, . . . shall be 
beaten 
with many 
stripes." 
Luke 
12 :47. 
Our 
Saviour does not mean that every one should go to 
college, or even attend an institute. 
He does not 
mean that all should be prepared for ministers, or 
lecturers, or Bible workers. 
But there is a field of 
usefulness adapted to the opportunities and capacity 
of each one. 
If we are faithful servants, we will oc-
cupy this field, and make it as broad as we can. 
We 
will press the talent God has given us into service, 
though we may have but one. 
If we can visit only 
a iew of our neighbors, and talk with them about 
the truth, and give them tracts and papers to read, 
we need a preparation for that, and we can get it by 
studying carefully the truths contained in the tracts 
and papers we distribute, and by seeking God that 
BIBLE 
READINGS. 
11 
the meek and quiet spirit that was in the Saviour 
may characterize us in all our work. 
"MINUTE 
MEN" 
Are needed who will stand ready to go to work at a 
moment's warning, to take advantage of emergencies 
that may arise, and thus improve opportunities that 
will soon pass by. An example of this is before us in 
the circulation of the petitions against the Blair bill. 
While the Sunday rest bill ^has been before Congress, 
the agitation over this question has afforded an ex-
cellent opportunity for calling the attention of the 
people to the dangerous principles held by the Na-
tional Eeformers, and of getting them to sign the 
petitions against all legislation on purely religious 
questions ; and though we have been looking for this 
very thing for more than thirty years, comparatively 
few of our people were — 
KEADY 
TO GO TO 
WORK 
With the petitions. 
Some have done nobly ; but a 
hundred fold more might have been done in the same 
length of time, if all had been prepared to begin work 
at once. 
Other emergencies, even more important 
than this, will doubtless arise in the near future. 
Will we prepare ourselves, and be ready to work 
when they come? or will we, as in the present 
emergency, have to spend the — 
FAVORABLE TIME FOR 
WORK, 
In getting ready to go to work ? 
Are we not living 
in a time when what is done must be done quickly? 
Satan will throw all manner of hindrances in our 
way. 
It is only through diligence and consecration 
that we can prepare ourselves for workers. 
Through 
organization and discipline, we can gain promptness 
and efficiency in the work; and the Spirit of God, 
dwelling in us, can give us power. 
Will not every 
one that has responsibilities in connection with the 
Lord's work, bear them faithfully ? and will not all 
who love the third angel's message, prepare them-
selves so that in succeeding emergencies each may 
say, when there is important work to do, as Isaiah 
did in his day, — 
LORD, " HERE AM 
I, SEND ME" ? 
DAN. T. JONES. 
WE are not Jews, but Gentiles. 
Our lineage is 
heathen. 
The missionary enterprise has rescued us 
from paganism, and gratitude for our emancipation 
should move us with a mighty impulse to engage 
heartily in missionary work. 
It is time for a man to 
question the genuineness of his conversion, when he 
finds that the religion that he professes costs noth-
ing. — Jamison. 
Bible Readies. 
The Bible reading should be carefully studied by the person who is to 
conduct it, so that during the exercise he will need only occasionally to 
glance upon the paper. 
Do not conduct the Bible reading the 6ame day 
that the address is read. 
BIBLE 
READING 
ON 
VISITING. 
[NOTE. — Public Bible readings might frequently be made more 
interesting and beneficial, if those conducting them would study 
to vary the exercises, and to have all present take part in them. 
After announcing the subject, and before proceeding with the fol-
lowing reading, it may be well to let those present suggest texts 
which bring to view circumstances under which the duty of visiting 
is either directly or indirectly enjoined. 
These texts should be 
read, and, if to the point, considered separately, so that the mean-
ing may be made plain to all. 
The notes given below may be an 
assistance, should the texts with which they are connected 
be 
quoted. 
Time should not be taken to consider scriptures not 
having a bearing on the subject. 
After all have had an oppor-
tunity to suggest texts, the person conducting the exercises can 
proceed with the reading, omitting texts that have been considered.] 
1. What is a part of pure religion ? 
James 1:27. 
" Pure religion and undefiled before God and the 
Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in 
their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from 
the world." 
[ Points worthy of notice: 
1. The two classes here mentioned 
represent all who suffer the loss of friends. 
2. The object of this 
class of visits is, first, to supply, if necessary, physical and temporal 
wants; second, to lead those bereaved to look to God for consola-
tion, to believe and trust in him who is the widow's God, and a 
father to the fatherless. 
Such points can be brought out by di-
rectly questioning persons present with respect to their opinion; 
as, for instance, " Bro. A., what do you think should be our object 
in visiting persons who are thus afflicted?" 
Such questions should 
first be addressed to those who will answer promptly without em-
barrassment, and then to others as they gain confidence.] 
2. To what other class of afflicted people does the 
Saviour refer? 
Matt. 25:36, second clause. 
" I was sick, and ye visited me." 
3. What other classes still does the Saviour men-
tion in this connection ? 
Yerse 35, and first clause 
of verse 36. 
" For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat: I 
was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, 
and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me." 
4. Since those who are the most worthy of assist-
ance in these respects seldom make their wants 
known, what is the only way in which we can 
learn of them, and give the necessary help ? 
5. How does the Saviour regard those who fail 
to put forth the necessary effort in this direction? 
Yerse 45, last clause. 
" Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of 
these, ye did it not to me." 
6. Of what class will this lack be a characteristic ? 
Verse 46, first clause. 
56 
THE 
1I0ME 
MISSIONARY. 
" And these shall go away into everlasting punish-
ment." 
7. What relation did Job sustain to the blind, the 
lame, and the poor? 
Job 29 :15, 16. 
" I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the 
lame. 
I was a father to the poor: and the cause 
which I knew not I searched out." 
[Points to consider: Meaning of the expressions, " eyes to the 
blind," "feet to the lame," "father to the poor," and "the cause 
which I knew not I searched out." 
The time required to do all 
this. 
Job was a wealthy man. 
Job 1: 3. 
One probable cause of 
his wealth. 
Prov. 19:17.] 
8. What does the prophet Isaiah say the Lord 
gave him ? 
Isa. 50 :4. 
"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of 
them that are taught, that I should know how to 
sustain with words him that is weary." 
New 
Version. 
9. What injunction does the same writer give to 
others? 
Isa. 35 : 3, 4. 
" Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the 
feeble knees. 
Say to them that are of a fearful 
heart, Be strong, fear not." 
[Who are meant by the "weary," 
"the 
weak hands," 
and 
" feeble knees"? 
Such persons must be sought after; they are not 
in a condition to seek assistance for themselves.] 
10. In case a person is overtaken in a fault, what 
is the duty of those who are spiritual ? 
Gal. 6:1. 
" Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye 
which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit 
of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be 
tempted." 
11. Will such persons be likely to come to us, or 
must we go to them? 
12. Are we required to visit those who trespass 
against us ? 
Matt. 18:15. 
"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against 
thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him 
alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy 
brother." 
[Motive: not to vindicate ourselves, but to save our brother.] 
13. What should we do if our brother has ought 
against us? 
Matt. 5 :23, 24. 
" Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, 
and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought 
against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, 
and go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, 
and then come and offer thy gift." 
14. For whom should we especially labor? 
Gal. 
6:10. 
" As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good 
unto all men, especially unto them who are of the 
household of faith." 
The CbildreD's pa^e. 
Wherever practicable, the children should meet by themselves, at least 
a portion of the time, even if there are but two or three present. 
Some 
person of Christian experience who is otherwise qualified for the work, 
should, before the meeting, be selected to take charge of it. 
After the 
reading which is prepared for them, it may be well to let them have a 
social meeting in which they can express themselves upon the subject 
presented. 
The exercises should be conducted in a way to impress them 
with the sacredness and reality of the work. 
THE 
NEW 
EARTH. 
TO-DAY we are to have a Bible reading, to learn 
about the New Earth, and I hope that you have all 
brought your Bibles. 
[Those who have none, and 
can read, should be provided with them.] 
1. How many of you have a coat, or dress, or 
some other garment that is nearly worn out? 
2. Nearly all; well, now this earth is much like 
your old coats and dresses. 
What does the Bible 
say about it? 
Isa. 51: 6. 
"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon 
the earth beneath ; for the heavens shall vanish 
away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a 
garment." 
You know that your clothing does not 
wear out all over alike ; some parts are quite good, 
while others are torn and faded. 
So it is with the 
earth. 
There are many beautiful places, and there 
are places where nothing can live, — rough, rugged 
mountains, and deep, dark caverns, and places where 
the ground has been all torn up by earthquakes. 
3. What do you do with things when they are 
so old that you do not want them any more? 
4. But the Lord will not do that way with the 
earth. 
If you will turn to Rev. 21 : 5 you will see 
what he will do with it, and with other things, too. 
" And he that sat upon the throne said Behold, I 
make all things new." 
5. liow many can tell which one of the twelve 
disciples the Saviour seemed to love most ? 
6. The Lord let this man see the new earth so 
that he might tell us about it. 
Rev. 21 :1. 
" And I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the 
first heaven and the first earth were passed away." 
7. There are some things which will not be there. 
What do you think they are? 
Rev. 21 : 4. 
" And God shall wipe away all tears from their 
eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sor-
row, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; 
for the former things are past away." 
8. What will come down from heaven and be 
upon this earth ? 
Rev. 21 : 2. 
"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, 
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as 
a bride adorned for her husband." 
NATIONAL 
REFORM. 
13 
9. What will be the shape of' this city ? Verse 16. 
" And the city lieth foursquare." 
[Illustrate by a 
drawing or otherwise.] 
10. How large will the city be? 
Verse 16. 
Ans. 
— Three hundred and seventy-five miles each way. 
You can hardly think how very large that will be. 
[Let some place of which the children have heard, 
that is about this distance away, be mentioned, to 
help them get some idea of a city reaching so far ] 
11. What will be around the city? 
Verse 12. 
" A wall great and, high." 
[Describe the wall, and 
if possible, show samplos of the stones, or the colored 
drawing in " Thoughts on Daniel and the Revela-
tion."] 
12. Tell about the gates. 
Verses 12, 13. 
" And had a wall great and high, and had twelve 
gates, and at the gates twelve angels." 
There will 
be three gates on each of the four sides of the city. 
13. Of what will the gates be made ? 
Verse 21. 
" And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; every 
several gate was of one pearl." 
[Have a piece of 
pearl to show them, if possible.] 
14. All name something that will be in the city. 
15. What tree will be there, different from any 
now on the earth ? 
Eev. 22 : 2. 
" In the midst of the street of it, and on either 
side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare 
twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every 
month." 
16. How long will it take for the fruit to ripen ? 
17. How long does it take apples, peaches, and 
plums to grow ? 
18. Did you ever see a tree that bore more than 
one kind of fruit? 
19. How many kinds does this tree bear? 
[Have 
the children name twelve kinds of fruit, aod think 
of them all as growing on one tree. 
Impress upon 
them the fact that the fruit of the tree of life will be 
far superior to any that we have.] 
20. Will it ever be dark in this city ? 
Rev. 22 : 5. 
" And there shall be no night there ; and they need 
no candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God 
giveth them light." 
Other good men besides John have told us about 
this lovely place. 
The prophet Isaiah says that 
those animals which are now so fierce and cruel, 
such as the lion, leopard, and wolf, will, in the new 
earth, be so kind and gentle that little children will 
lead them about. 
I hope that you will find and 
read what Isaiah and the other Bible writers say 
about the new earth. 
It will be far more beautiful 
and lovely than anything of which we can think. 
21. I am sure you will be glad to know that you 
can all have a home in it. 
Here is one of the invita-
tions. 
Rev. 22 :17. 
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. 
And 
let him that heareth say, Come. 
And let him that 
is athirst come. 
And whosoever will, let him take 
the water of life freely." 
Some other time we will read about the way to 
come. 
National Refofip. 
QUESTIONS 
ON 
THE 
SENTINEL 
TRACTS. 
LESSON 
FIVE. 
[Answers found principally in the tract, 
"The Republic of 
Israel."] 
1. 
WHAT form of government does a writer in 
the Christian Statesman say was given to Israel at 
Mt. Sinai? 
2. What three departments does he say were 
substantially represented in it ? 
3. Whom does he say was at the head of each ? 
4. How did President Lincoln define a republic? 
5. By whom are the officers in a republic chosen ? 
6. Was Moses chosen by the people ? 
See Acts 
7: 35. 
7. By whom was he chosen? 
Ibid; Ex. 3 :10. 
8. Did Moses ever make laws ? 
9. Did the seventy elders whom the writer in the 
Christian Statesman calls the " Congress of General 
Government," ever make laws? 
10. Did the Sanhedrim, which this writer calls 
" The Court of the Gate," and the " Arbiter of Jus-
tice," define the law and prescribe the penalty for its 
violation ? 
Num. 15 : 32-34. 
11. Who did define the law and prescribe the pen-
alty ? 
Verse 35. 
12. By whose direction were the seventy elders 
chosen, and how ordained for their work? 
Num. 
11 :16, 17, 25. 
13. Who was the Author of all the laws, — moral, 
ceremonial, and civil, — that were given to Israel ? 
Ex. 24 : 12 ; Neh. 9 :13,14. 
14. Why did the people finally demand a king? 
1 Sam. 8 :4, 5, last clause. 
15. In asking for a king, whom did they reject as 
a ruler? 
1 Sam. 8 : 7. 
16. Then was Israel a republic, as National Re-
formers teach? 
17. What form of government was it? 
56 
THE 
1I0ME 
MISSIONARY. 
LESSON 
SIX. 
[Answers found in the tract before mentioned, and tlie one en-
titled " Religious Liberty," of the same series.] 
1. WHAT is a theocracy ? Ans.—Under 
theocracy, 
Webster says : " Government of a State by the im-
mediate direction or administration of God." 
2. Is the assertion of the National Reformers 
that " the people were sovereign," in the so-called 
republic of Israel, true ? 
3. In the theocracy of Israel, did the priests—the 
religious teachers — have any part in the land outside 
of the cities they inhabited ? 
Num. 18 : 20, first part. 
4. What was to be their special portion ? 
Num 
18 : 20, last part. 
5. Were others permitted to interfere with their 
work? 
Num. 18:7. 
6. After the government was changed from a 
theocracy to a kingdom, was the civil ruler per-
mitted to perform the work of the priest, who rep-
resented the church, or religious element of the 
government? 
1 Sam. 13 : 9, 10, 13 ; 1 Kings 13 : 4. 
7. What was the result when the civil power 
interfered with the ecclesiastical — or the State with 
the church ? 
1 Sam. 13 : 14, first clause. 
8. Then were the civil and religious elements 
kept distinct in this so-called " republic of Israel"? 
9. Are not the Amendmentists guilty of decep-
tion in trying to palm off for Bible truth such state-
ments as we have noticed ? 
10. What do their movements contemplate? 
Ans. 
— "An entire change in the structure of our gov-
ernment." 
11. Will the rights of all be respected if this change 
is brought about? 
Ans. — "The rights of certain 
classes of citizens will be ruthlessly trampled under 
foot as surely as they succeed in changing the Con-
stitution." 
12. In the Senate Committee's report on postal 
matters, what did the chairman, Hon. Richard M. 
Johnson, say of the claims of Sabbath-keepers to 
respect under the laws of this country, when the 
proposition was made to close the post-offices and 
stop the mails on Sunday? 
Ans. —" The committee 
can discover no principle on which the claims of one 
should be respected more than those of the other, 
unless it be admitted that the consciences of the minor-
ity are less sacred than those of the majority." 
13. What power alone does the same authority 
say our Constitution recognizes for enforcing re-
ligious observances? 
Ans. — "Our Constitution re-
cognizes no other power than that of persuasion for 
enforcing religious observances." 
14. Do other nations regard religious rights as 
our nation does? 
Ans. — "What other nations call 
religious toleration, we call religious rights." — Ibid. 
15. How is the performance of these religious 
rights of the minority regarded by the Constitu-
tion and laws of this nation? 
Ans.—"They 
are 
not exercised in virtue of governmental indulgence, 
but as rights, of which government cannot deprive 
any of its citizens, however small. 
Despotic power 
may invade these rights, but justice 
still confirms 
them." — Ibid. 
LESSON 
SEVEN. 
[Answers to be found in tract entitled, "The American Papacy."] 
1. IN the book entitled " Our Country," what 
special peril does the author mention which, among 
others, threatens the free institutions of this country? 
A ns.—Roman ism. 
2. What does the same author say the Constitu-
tion of the United States guarantees? 
Ans. —"The 
Constitution of the United States guarantees liberty 
of conscience. 
Nothing is dearer or more funda-
mental." 
3. What does Pope Pius IX. say in his Encyclical 
Letter of Aug. 15, 1854, as quoted in " Our Country " ? 
Ans. — "The absurd and erroneous doctrines, or rav-
ings, in defense of liberty of conscience, are a pes-
tilential error — a pest, of all others, to be most 
dreaded in a State." 
4. How does this author account for the pacific 
tone of Rome in the United States ? 
Ans. — " The 
pacific tone of Rome in the United States does not 
imply a change of heart. 
She is tolerant where she 
is helpless." 
5. What does Bishop O'Connor say on this point? 
Ans, —" Religious liberty is merely endured until the 
opposite can be carried into effect without peril to 
the Catholic world."— Ibid. 
6. What does the Archbishop of St. Louis say of 
heresy and unbelief ? 
Ans. — "Heresy and unbelief 
are crimes, and in Christian countries .... 
where 
the Catholic religion is an essential part of the law 
of the land, they are punished as other crimes." 
—Ibid. 
7. What is the ideal " Christian nation " of the 
National Reformers ? Ans.— " God, who is the source 
of all authority, has appointed our Lord Jesus Christ 
the Ruler of nations. 
The Bible, God's revealed 
will, contains law for nations, and is the standard by 
which all moral issues in political life are to be de-
cided. 
National acknowledgment of this authority, 
and obedience to this law, constitute a truly Christian 
nation."—Standing Declaration of Principles in the 
Christian Nation. 
NATIONAL 
REFORM. 
15 
8. If the Bible is to be a book of laws to which 
all must render obedience in a "Christian nation,'' 
then must not that Christian nation define what the 
Bible teaches, and enforce its doctrines? 
Ans.—It 
certainly must. 
9. Does the papacy claim the right to interpret 
the Bible for its followers, and to enforce its teach-
ings ? 
Ans. — It does. 
10. Then would there not be a marked similarity 
between a " Christian nation " of the National Re-
form type and the papacy ? 
11. Does the Catholic Church virtually claim that 
Christ is the " Buler of Nations " ? 
Ans. — Yes. 
12. In what way does it do this ? 
Ans. — On the 
pope's crown are written in Latin, the words " Vica-
rius Filii Dei" which being translated, read, " Vice-
gerent of the Son of God." 
A vicegerent, according 
to Webster, is " an officer who is deputed by a supe-
rior, or by proper authority, to exercise the powers 
of another." 
In claiming to be the vicegerent of the 
Son of God, the pope only claims to be the deputy of 
Christ, or to exercise the authority of Christ during 
his absence. 
13. If Christ should be installed as Ruler of this 
nation, as he is not present in person, would it not 
be necessaxy for some man, or association of men, to 
represent him, and through whom he would be sup-
posed to act? 
14. Then what title might be consistently assumed 
by members of an association setting forth such 
claims? 
Ans.—Vicegerent 
of the Son of God ! 
15. What might the United States of America, if 
it should adopt the principles set forth in the Chris-
tian Nation, very properly be called? 
Ans.—The 
"AMERICAN 
PAPACY." 
LESSON 
EIGHT. 
[For answers, refer to Sentinel tract entitled " National Reform 
and the Rights of Conscience."] 
1. 
WHAT are the avowed purposes of the National 
Reform party? 
Ans. — "To secure an amendment 
to the Constitution of the United States, by which 
every man shall be compelled to acknowledge that 
God is Sovereign, that Christ is Ruler, and that the 
Bible is the supreme law." 
2. Do the National Reformers propose to enforce 
these doctnnes on the subjects of this nation ? 
Ans. 
— They do. 
3. What does the Christian Statesman of Oct. 2, 
1884, say on this point? 
Ans. — "Give all men to 
understand that this is a Christian nation. . . . EN-
FORCE upon all that come among us the laws of 
Christian Morality." 
4. What does the word enforce mean? — "To 
force; 
to constrain; to compel; 
to execute with 
vigor" — Webster. 
5. What does Mr. W. J. Coleman, a leading 
National Reformer, admit, in the Christian States-
man of Nov. 1, 1883, in answering questions put 
by a correspondent signing himself " Truth Seeker " ? 
Ans. —" To be perfectly plain, 1 believe that the ex-
istence of a Christian constitution would disfranchise 
every logically-consistent infidel." 
6. Who, from the National Reform standpoint, 
would be considered " logically-consistent infidels " ? 
Ans. — All who would not subscribe to National Re-
form principles. 
7. Would not such a government, along with 
other evils, encourage 
hypocrisy, deception, and 
fraud ? 
Ans. — It would. 
8. In what age was the church greatly corrupted 
by a similar state of things as that proposed by 
National Reformers? 
Ans. — In the days of Con-
stantino. 
9. What does Mr. Macaulay, the celebrated En-
glish writer and statesman, say of the fitness of the 
best of civil governments to propogate true religion ? 
Ans. — " We do not, however, admit that, if a govern-
ment were, for all temporal ends, as perfect as human 
frailty allows, such a government would, therefore, 
be necessarily qualified to propogate true religion." 
— Review of Gladstone on Church and State. 
10. Who does Mr. Coleman say, in his answers 
to " Truth Seeker," will object to the work of Na-
tional Reformers? 
Ans —"Jews, infidels, atheists, 
and others." 
11. What would the class called "atheists" em-
brace, according to the teaching of National Re-
formers? 
Ans.—Jonathan 
Edwards, after speaking 
of Jews, Seventh-day Baptists, atheists, and others, 
and defining each, says : 
" These are all, .... 
so 
far as our Amendment is concerned, one class. . . . 
They must be named from him [the atheist] ; they 
must be treated, as, for this question, one party." 
12. What does Mr. Edwards afterwards say about 
tolerating atheism? 
Ans. — "Tolerate atheism, sir? 
There is nothing out of hell I would not tolerate as 
soon." 
13. Could we expect the rights of conscience to 
be respected under such a government as National 
Reformers propose ? 
Ans. — " Intolerance and per-
secution are inseparable from the success of such a 
movement as is represented in the National Reform 
Association." 
56 
THE 
1I0ME 
MISSIONARY. 
Wofktf? Department. 
EXPERIENCE IN MISSIONARY LABOR. 
You ask how we introduce points of our faith to 
others. 
I hardly know how to answer. 
It seems as 
though one can seldom do twice the same way; so 
much depends upon circumstances. 
My husband, in distributing tracts among strang-
ers, never says much at first, as most people will not 
refuse to read a few pages, and the tracts explain 
themselves. 
When he goes after them, something is 
usually said which guides in the selection of further 
reading. 
He had three hundred of the Sentinel Extras, and 
God helped wonderfully in their distribution. 
He 
merely said, in handing them out, that they were 
something of interest which he would like them to 
read. 
We have since found that some of them 
set the people to thinking. 
He believes they will 
prepare the way for him to get signers to the 
petitions. 
He just started with the petitions last 
Friday afternoon, and succeeded in getting 
the 
Methodist and Baptist ministers to head the list. 
The M. E. minister is a D. D., and both have large 
congregations ; so he thinks it will be an easy matter 
to get a large number of names now. 
I must tell you how the M. E. congregation here 
received much present truth one Sunday night. 
The 
minister's subject, announced in the paper, was to be 
Christ's second coming; so my husband took him 
" Matthew 24" and " Helps to Bible Study," during 
the week, and asked him if he would not like to look 
them over. 
Sunday evening we went to his church, 
and he preached, to a full house, a straight sermon 
on the 24th chapter of Matthew, the binding of Satan, 
and the Millennium, the only subject upon which he 
was wrong being the state of the dead 
He after-
ward had us send for both pamphlets for him, and 
we loaned him " Thoughts on Daniel and the Rev-
elation." 
The Baptist minister, when asked to sign the 
petition, said, " Yes, sir; I'11 do that every time. . . . 
I am an Adventist, too. 
I believe that all the signs 
point to the near coming of Christ." 
My husband 
then canvassed him for " Bible Readings for the 
Home Circle," and took his order. 
He canvassed a 
Baptist minister in a small town near here, and had 
a long talk with him. 
The minister took one of the 
" Bible Readings," and his wife said she had been 
thinking about the Sabbath for years, and that per-
haps the book would convert her to our way of 
thinking. 
Last week Mr. R. took them " Matthew 
24," and " History of the Sabbath." 
We both like j, 
the pamphlet, "Matthew 24," in introducing our 
faith ; it is so clear and forcible, and prepares the ' 
way for more unpopular points of present truth. 
It seems as though so many things around us are [ 
fulfilling prophecy, now, that it is not difficult to 
strike something that will lead the conversation to 
the near coming of our Saviour. 
The subject of 
Health and Temperance is sometimes an interesting 
topic to start with. 
While waiting in a Western i 
depot one day last winter, I engaged in conversa-
tion with a lady, and gave her some " Health Leaf-
lets." 
Later, we talked about the soon coming of 
Christ. 
She was much interested, but after awhile j 
persistently led me to the state of the dead and ; 
kindred points. 
Finding she was much prejudiced, 
I dropped religious subjects, but succeeded in find-
ing out her address, and she is now an interested 
reader of the Signs of the Times. 
I have found some mothers who were easily ap-
proached by beginning with social purity, and the 
difficulties in training children in these days, while 
others are aroused in regard to the prevalence of 
vile and trashy reading matter. 
I do wish all our people would become aroused to 
the duty of educating the children, — even the little 
ones, — on points of our faith, for they can often carry 
the truth where the parents cannot. 
To illustrate, 
let me tell you of my little nephew four years old, 
whose mother has recently embraced the truth. 
His 
father is very much opposed to our belief, but will 
listen to his little son, as the mother has overheard 
him telling his papa about the new earth. 
Last week 
while at a neighbors', he was told that his auntie, 
who died recently, is in heaven now. 
"No, she 
isn't," said he, "she is in her grave, and will stay 
there till the day of judgment." 
He is such a dear 
little fellow that they will listen to him when they 
would not hear an older person. 
We both feel that we have been very unfaithful in 
the past, and are determined that the coming year 
shall record more loving work done for" our Saviour, 
than ever before. 
ANNA 
RAMBO. 
THE HOME MISSIONARY. 
Published Monthly, at Battle Creek, Mich., by the 
INTERNATIONAL TRACT AND MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
An eight-page paper devoted, to the interests of the 
tract and missionary work. 
Each number will contain the fourth Sabbath Read-
ing for the month. 
Pt^ICE PEI* YEAI*, Post-paid, 
10 ets. 
Address, 
INTERNATIONAL TRACT SOCIETY, 
Battle Creek, Mich.