VOL. 18 
EASTERN CANADIAN 
ME SEN ER 
OSHAWA, ONTARIO, JAN. 29, 1918 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quebec Committee Meeting 
The latter part of- December the writer went to 
Montreal to meet with the executive and auditing 
committees of the Quebec Conference. It was a 
pleasure to meet with the good brethren composing 
these committees and to cooperate with them in au& 
iting aecounts and laying plans for the furtherance of 
the work in the conference. 
. Upon inquiry the auditing committee learned 
that because of the tremendous increase in the cost 
of living since the outbreak of the_ war• the confer-
ence laborers had been unable, during -the past year, 
to make-ends meet on their salaries which had been 
increased but little if any since the vi ar began. All 
the members-of the committee felt that our faithful 
workers must be given a living.. wage if they are to 
stay in the field and do successful work. God de-
clares, "the laborer is worthy of his hire." There-
fore after a careful study both of the needs of the 
workers and the conference finances it was voted to 
give -each laborer -a fair bonus for the pat year and 
a reasonablesupplement to their regular wages While 
the pl'eient high. war prices prevail. This plan is be-
ing followed now by the various conferences through-
out the North American Division Conference and we 
feel confident that the action of the committee will 
meet with the approval Of our people in Quebec. 
While together the executive Committee voted 
among other 
.things. to invite Brother Duclos of 
Ottawa to connect with the Work. in Quebec as Field 
and Home MisSionary Secretary. This we believe 
was a move in the right direction, one that will mark 
the beginning of a new era for the literature work in 
old Quebec. Brother Duclos is a native of Quebec. 
He was educated in a Baptist College in that Province 
and speaks the French as fluently as the English. 
Since accepting the truth in Ottawa a few.years ago 
he has devoted much of his time to the sale of our 
books and other literature and during the year 1917 
the Lord greatly blessed his efforts while canvassing 
in Ontario, We feel that Quebec is fortunate in se-
curing the services of such a devoted and successful 
worker. With the help of God and the cooperation 
of his brethren we confidently believe that he will 
succeed in the work to which he has been called. 
On Sabbath morning and Sunday afternoon it 
was my privilege to fill again the same pulpit that I 
filled so many times during the years that we were 
stationed in Montreal. It was a real treat to be able 
to meet once more with the members of this church, 
a numberna whom it was our happy lot to help bring 
into the 'truth. We also enjoyed meeting many of 
the people in their homes and we regretted that time 
did not permit of Our 'accepting all-the invitations ex-
tended to us. During our stay in the city we were 
entertained .at the hospitable home of Professor and 
Mrs. Davies. �
' 
Sunday night Elder Young delivered an interest-
ing address to a fair sized audience in the ball down 
in the center of the city where Elder Webster. is giv-
ing a series of lectures this winter with good prospect 
of a harvest of souls. Elder Webster is assisted in 
the work by his father, who is also an ordained minis-
ter and Miss Anna Blythe. Different members of 
the church are also doing what they can to make 
these meetings a success. 
We greatly enjoyed the time spent in Montreal. 
May the Lord richly bless the work in Quebec's me-
tropolis, as well as throughout the entire conference. 
A. V. OLSON. 
Halifax Disaster 
(Several weeks ago we printed an article under this same heading 
which was written by Elder Olson who reached the scene the afternoon of 
the day the explosion occurred. This article, by Elder Chapman, gives a 
graphic description of an eye witness and alsO of one who was in the midst 
of the wreckage.—ED.] 
Our brethren everywhere have heard more or less 
of the terrible disaster here at Halifax, and doubtless 
will rejoice that God miraculously spared us. No 
lives were lost of all our members except one little 
child. Sister Jennie Boutilier's little Helen, aged 
two years, was burned in the ruins of their house. 
While we feel very sad over the loss of this little one 
we can only praise God that no others were lost and 
that he so wonderfully preserved us during this ter-
rible calamity. 
Thursday, Dec. 6, 1917, is a date which will 
never be forgotten by those who survived this great 
catastrophe. The morning dawned bright and beau-
tiful. Every one was busy with the usual activities 
of life. Little did any one think that death and de-
struction were so near. 
2 �
EASTERN CANADIAN MESSENGER 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Et, came to us, as a family, like a bolt from the 
blue sky just as we were about to bow in morning 
worship together. There was a slight rumble and 
then the terrible shock, so sudden we had no time to 
think of danger until it was over. The whole thing 
could have been no more than five seconds. Our win-
dows were gone, curtains, glass and everything scat-
tered about and broken. Our front door lay a mass 
of kindling wood with the whole frame and glass 
panels of the inner door in a heap of debris on the 
hall floor. When we began to look about every one's 
house was the same. 
In some parts children had already assembled at 
School and others were on their way so that families 
were separated and none knew what had become of 
the others. In one school of 525 children only 7 are 
alive. In some instances whole families were killed. 
It made us think of the great day of God for it surely 
came as a snare so sudden there was no way of es-
cape. The terrible havoc wrought in those few sec-
onds is beyond the power of tongue or pen to describe. 
With two thousand killed, three thousand seriously 
injured, and six thousand rendered homeless, beside 
hundreds made totally or partially blind, one forms a 
little idea of its vastness. 
We were warned to leave our houses and flee to 
open fields as there was danger of another explosion. 
Many went without proper wraps and footwear and as 
there was snow and ice on the ground much suffering 
was caused from exposure. Many died from fright 
and nervous shock. 
Our little boy was sick with pneumonia, we had 
been up several nights treating him. We wrapped 
him well and carried his cot out to an open space a 
few blocks distant where we remained until after one 
o'clock in the afternoon when we were told that all 
danger was over. How glad we were! We then 
learned the cause of the disaster—that the steamer, 
Mont Blanc loaded with about three thousand tons 
of high explosives had caught fire in a collision with 
a Belgian relief boat and caused the explosion. 
Every building in the city was shattered more or 
less and windows were broken in houses more than 
twenty miles distant. 
We immediately began to think of different ones 
of our brethren who were nearer the scene than we 
were, wondering how they fared. We greatly re-
joiced upon learning of them one by one, to find them 
alive and we praised God more and more each time 
we heard of another. Surely he did encamp around 
us. Although three of our sisters had bad wounds 
none of them were serious. Our little church which 
we had so recently painted and at which we had a 
goodly attendance of outside listeners on Sunday 
evenings, was shattered beyond repair, being moved 
from the foundation. We were unable to get to-
gether for a meeting during the week of prayer until 
Thursday evening and on Sabbath we had at wonder-
fill experience meeting which was indeed interest ing. 
Sister Jennie Boutilier being in the hospital wrote 
her experience and sent it in. 
"Dear Brothers and Sisters: So very sorry I can-
not be with you to give my personal testimony iu 
your praise service today. As the Lord has kert my 
right arm unhurt I shall take advantage of the opror-
trinity to send a written testimony. We can surely 
all join in saying 'Great is the Lord and greatly to he 
praised.' That wits one of the Morning Watch texts 
we had not, long ago. How thankfn1 we should he 
for the Morning Watch. Some of the verses, espe-
cially those on Gods protection, were brought to my 
mind. The Lord fulfilled his promise in bringing to 
my remembrance the things I had learned. But re-
member it is what we have learned, so I trust not one 
of our members will fail to observe the Morning 
Watch this coming year. Our Bibles limy he burned 
but if we have it in our minds the precious promises 
that are contained theiein will mire:y be brought to 
our remembrance when we need them. 
Of course as you all realize, it was a miracle any 
of its were saved, but in my case a- special miracle was 
performed. I was driven from my room through the 
next ()ilea nd thence to th e eelln r. The reason Iknow this 
isbecause when I crawled out I wason the front sidewalk 
and I live in the bank of the house. Our house and 
the oue next to it came down on Me. This I know by 
viewing the ruins after I got out. I saw from the 
small place where I got out, how much had been on 
top of me. There were three or four high boards 
around me like a stall. There I was down in the 
dark. To human reasoning it would seem very ab-
surd to think of getting out alive. But I thought 
with God nothing is impossible so I spoke to my dear 
Friend who always helps me and looking up by faith 
expecting to see an opening saw it and at once started 
to climb up the side of a straight board and got out 
on the sidewalk. I was assisted by an angel because 
I could not have climbed out alone._ I felt the pres-
ence of Jesus with me. In one way I was glad no 
human being helped me because i can give all praise 
to whom it is due—that is my dear Jesus. After I es-
caped I looked about the ruins in search of my darling 
baby I called her and she started to cry. Mrs.Pennie 
in the same house was yelling for me to save her. I 
did my best. I could not move that big door that was 
pinned hard against the ruins. I crawled out again. 
Running across the street and up and down I pleaded 
with men to come to the rescue. But they had their 
own to look after. At last a Naval officer promised to 
get her and I went with him but he forbade me to go 
near the ruins. He did not know I had been there 
three times already trying to pull boards away. A 
man caught me on the street and tied irny face up and 
EAST ERN CANADIAN MESSENGER �
• 3 
Ordered me to go at once to the auto. But I could 
not. I had to go back and try to get dear little Helen. 
After doing my best I was• obliged to leave as my hand 
was badly burned and cut and my chin was terribly 
cut, though I did not know it, besides several cuts 
about the head. My face was getting stiff so I could 
hardly talk so I ran to the Wellington Barracks near-
by and they brought me here [Camp Hill Hospital]. 
"Nobody knows, what agony of mind I went 
through that day and night thinking and• praying 
about Helen. I never experienced the like beforeand 
trust I never shall. again. But, I suppose it was 
wrong for tine to worry as she may be all right some-
where. Although Mrs. Peunie's bones were found I 
cannot bear the thoughts of Helen being burned alive. 
I can hardly believe that Jesus would permit it. But 
please have special prayer for me that I may have 
strength to bear whatever comes knowing that Jesus 
doeth all things well. When I have read abont. Jesus 
performing miracles. and delivering his followers, I 
often wished that I could have a miracle performed. 
I had no idea that such an unworthy being as" would 
experience so soon such a miraculous deliverance. It 
would have been no harder for God to bring me out 
without a scratch than the way he dicl, but had he 
done so I would not have appreciated his power so 
much for I may ha ye soon forgotten about it. The 
way 1 :tin I have a chance to meditate and look back 
upon u y experience and all the way I can see it was 
the Lard's doing. I could write a whole book about 
this for I cannot praise God enough for his goodness. 
How I would enjoy hearing your testitnonieS for I 
know there will not be a silent person in your meet- 
ing for I am sure every heart is filled to overflowing 
with praise to our Creator. No one knows whtlt I 
have to hear in this place. The sufferings of the peo- 
ple are terrible. While the .doctor was attending•one 
poor woman who had both eyes. out she was crying; 
Doctor, don't kill me, I am not prepared to die: I wish 
some' one would pray for me.' Poor soul! I offered 
a-silent prayer for her that dear Jesus would help her, 
• "Please note what I am about to say. . Hear the 
Words of this pOor woman 'not ready to die.' Wanted 
Someone to pray lot. her! What does this mean to 
us? • We- are alive, for what purj?ose'do you suppose? 
I do snot need to say for we all know it is to continue 
in soul saving work so that people will not be afraid 
to meet dear Jesus. .1 feel so unworthy, so unfaithful. 
I surrender myself fully to Jesus and his service and 
I want to live every minute of my life for him. Pray 
that .my wounds may he healed if it is God's will. I 
did not mean to write so much but if you haven't 
time to -read it all just read a portion of it. I feel so 
grateful to Elder Chapman for coining and washing 
my face and eyes so I could see, and for dressing my 
band: I also wish to thank Sister Chapman for her 
QUEBEC 
• 
• �
• •-••••-• 
Earnestness and Prayer—And a Paper 
A brother in �
put in ,a few minutes each week 
with a few eopies of the Signs of the Times. Among 
others he visited was a talented.and influential lady. 
When the first copy was delivered he received the 
assurance that' it would be read. When he called 
• with the second, number and inquired if the first had 
been. read, the lady replied that she had not read it. 
The brother remarked, "But you must please read it. 
I am bringing them to be read, and I am praying for 
you." She promised to read them, and when he 
called again, in answer to his inquiry, she said that 
she had read a couple of articles and liked them, He 
said further, "But you must read all of them. If you 
do you will see that you are keeping the wrong day 
for the Sabbath." 
His method was hardly the one .we would employ 
at first but it was the very thing that sent convic-
tion to the heart of the lady. She read all the papers 
that came tot several months. She commenced to 
keep the Sabbath. Her husband, the leading phy-
sican of the town, united with her, and her sister, a 
Catholic, joined her also. The papers were mailed 
to her mother in Canada and site accepted the truth. 
Then a minister was sent to the town and within 
a few weeks a church of eikteen was organized. Yes 
the Signs does bring people into the truth. �00 
On the Train 
As I was travelling on the train recently, I en-
tered into conversation with a priest who suit by my 
side. In the course of our conversation, I asked him 
great kindness to me. I would not forget to thank 
the other members that have been kind to me. I am 
in Brother Herod's ward now. He has been *very 
kind to me. I certainly appreciated the visits hem 
our members I was glad to see them and wish they 
could come oftener. Sister Hayward, 1 am glad you 
are improving. I: am praying for you. [Sister Hay-
ward and her husband had a very miraculous escape 
also,. their .house was demolished and they were badly 
cut]. Of course I am praying for all our members 
but especially for those who are sick or wounded. 
This is the week of prayer. 0, how we should pray 
.and offer praise unto dear Jesus.. May God-bless you 
all. Pray for me. 
Jennie Boutilier, Camp Hill Hospital." 
This is surely a most wonderful experience. It 
is but one of the many that could be related. God 
not only saved our church members but the husbands 
. 
of our sisters were also saved from death. 
E. M. CHAP.MAN. 
....1••••.111...••••••.....0.111...••-••••••• �
••••••..•..... • 1,.....-••••••••,-. 
4 �
EASTERN CA1VADIAIV MESSENGER 
Eastern Canadian Messenger 
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE 
EASTERN CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY 
ADVENTISTS 
Office Address �
- Oshawa.Ont 
F. A. Spangler �
Fditor 
Entered as second-class matter. Price, 50 cents a year 
in advance. 
if he had seen the book entitled "L' Europe Le Monde 
et La Paix." 
"0 yes," he said, "That is a fine book, interesting 
and well written." 
"Are you acquainted with the author?" I asked. 
"No," was the answer, "I do not know him: never 
read anything from his pen before. However, he is 
evidently a learned man and a good student of his-
tory." 
"Then you consider the hook a safe and good 
book to read?" was my next query. 
"Oh yes!" he said. Then, after a pause, "Not for 
every one, however. It is too deep and should not 
be read by the common people. It has not been 
approved, and, in the hands of the common people 
it becomes dangerous and is liable to lead people 
astray." 
I told him I could not understand how a good 
book could be dangerous for the people to read. 
"But why do you ask?" he said. "Have you read 
the book?" 
"Oh, yes," I said "and the author is a friend of 
mine." • 
"Oh, is that so? Are you not a Catholic?" 
"No." 
"A Protestant then?" 
"Yes, a Seventh-day Adventist." 
"A what?" 
"A Seventh-day Adventist." 
He had never heard of them and so I took the 
opportunity to present before him the faith of, the 
Seventh-day Adventists. 
He wanted to know if the author of the book 
was also a Seventh-day Adventist, and said that it 
was no doubt a very good book for us, but would be 
dangerous to place in the hands of the Catholics. 
When I told him that I had visited a number of 
parishes with the books and sold hundreds of copies, 
he wanted me to promise not to go to his people, to 
which I replied that he could forbid his people buy-
ing the book, but could not forbid our offering it for 
sale. 
When he said that we Protestants were left free 
to worship as we liked, and were not molested by 
priests coming to our home and by having literature 
distributed to our houses to convert us to Catholi-
cism, I told him I begged to differ with him; that 
since I same to Quebec City, I have had many calls 
from priests, nuns and others in behalf of the Catho-
lic Church. 
I asked him what would be his objection to our 
visiting the people after he had warned them against 
the book, would they not simply refuse it? 
He said they would not all refuse ti en). Some 
would buy then► hrca.►►se they are forbidden. 
I told him I did not wish to grieve him, but, we 
had been given a message, Rev. 14, and tiint, with the 
help of God, it would be sounded with power to every 
nation, kindred, tongue and people. As the train 
pulled into the station where he had to get off, he 
said: 
"Well when you come in ►ny parish, come to see 
me." 
The last part of onr conversation seemed to es- 
pecially interest him, and who knows what the result 
m a y he? 
We have since sent him siweral hooks and tracts 
May God water and bless the seed sown. 
In Lyster we found a lady who had bought a 
copy of "World's Crisis" and when she saw that we 
were the same people, publishing the literature for 
the French, she gave us five dollars for the Harvest, 
Ingathering and said, "Do not mind the insults of the 
French, it is their ignorance, and they are not so 
much to blame as our leaders." She is a French 
Catholic herself. �
L. F. PASSEROIS. 
Seminary M. V. Society 
As the MESSENGER family has not heard from 
the E. C. M. Seminary M. V. Society for some time, 
we thought it might be of interest to all, and espe-
cially so to the young people, to know that we are 
improving our time profitably and launching out in-
to greater activity than ever before. On a recent 
Tuesday evening we met together in the chapel 
at a quarter to seven. Our last meeting was well 
represented by the young people of the Oshawa 
church, as well as all the members of the school 
family. After an interesting program on the signs 
of the times and the nearness of Christ's coming, a 
call was made for half yearly subscriptions of the 
Signs weekly to be used in the correspondence bands. 
These six hands meet once a week to write letters and 
send out missionary papers. So much good was done 
in this way last year, that a lively response was 
given and thirty subscriptionS were taken for this 
paper. This is double the number we had last year. 
In addition to this an expense collection was taken 
amounting to $2.32, also our birthday box jingled a 
little too with the extra sixty-five cents, which was 
added that night. Although we do not count our 
value as a society in dollars and cents, yet a full 
treasury means immediate work done. 
MINNIE ARRAY, Secy.