Behold, 1 come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22 :12. • 
 
 
• NUMBER 18. 
VOLUME 9. 
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, FIFTH-DAY, MAY, 10, 1883. 
return to their homes unrefreshed nor faint by 
the way. This he did to test the faith of his dis-
ciples, for he himself was at no loss how to pro-
vide food. He who would not work a miracle to 
satisfy his own hunger in the wilderness, would 
not allow the multitude to suffer for lack of food. 
Philip looked over the sea of heads and thought 
how impossible it would be to obtain sufficient 
food to satisfy the wants of such a crowd. He 
answered that two hundred penny-worth of bread 
would not be nearly enough to divide among them 
so that each one might have a little. Jesus in-
quired how much food could be found among the 
company. He was told that Andrew had discov-
ered a lad who had with him five barley loaves, 
and two small fishes., But this was nothing 
among so many, and they were in a desert place, 
where no more could be obtained. 
Jesus commanded that this meager store should 
be brought to him. This being done, he directed 
his disciples to seat the people upon the grass in 
parties of fifty, and one hundred, to preserve 
order, and that all might witness the miracle he 
was about to do. This marshaling of five thou-
sand people into Companies, was at length satis-
factorily accomplished, and they were all seated 
in the presence of the Saviour. He then took 
the loaves and fishes, and, having given thanks, 
distributed them to the disciples and to the mul-
titudes, in quantities sufficient to satisfy their ap-
petites. 
The people had arranged themselves in the re-
quired order wondering what was to be done, but 
their amazement knew no bounds when the prob-
lem was solved, and they beheld food portioned 
out to that vast assembly from the slender store 
scarcely sufficient for a score of persons. The 
food did not diminish, as Jesus handed it to his 
disciples, who in their turn served the people. 
As often as they returned to him for a fresh sup-
ply, it was furnished them. After all had been 
satisfied, he directed the disciples to gather up the 
fragments that nothing might be lost; and the 
broken fragments filled twelve baskets. 
During this remarkable feast, there was much 
earnest reflection among those who were so mi-
raculously served. They had followed Jesus to 
listen to words such as had never before fallen 
upon their ears. His teachings had sunk into 
their hearts. He had healed their sick, had com- 
forted their sorrow, and, at last, rather than send 
them away hungering, he had fed them boun- 
teously. His pure and simple doctrine laid hold of 
their minds, and his tender benevolence won their 
hearts. While eating the food he had provided 
for them, they decided that this was indeed the 
Messiah. No other one could do so mighty a 
miracle. No human power could create from five 
barley loaves and two small fishes, rood sufficient 
to .feed thousands of hungry people. His teach-
ings and work of healing had already nearly con- 
vinced them of his divinity, and this miracle 
crowned their growing conviction with entire be-
lief. They decided that this was the Prince of Life, 
the promised Deliverer of the Jews. They per- 
ceive that he makes no effort to win the applause 
of the people. In this he is essentially different 
from the chief priests and rulers, who are ambi- 
tious for titles and the honor of men. They fear 
that he will never claim his right as King of Is-
rael and take his place on David's throne in Je- 
rusalem. But they decide that what he will not 
assume for himself, they will claim for him. 
They need no greater evidence of his divine 
power nor will they wait for any further proof. 
They quietly consult among themselves, and ar- 
range to take him by force, and bear him upon 
their shoulders, proclaiming him the King of Is- 
rael. The disciples unite with the people in de-
claring that the throne of David is the rightful 
inheritance of their Master. Let the arrogant 
Mntered at the Post-Office in Oakland, Cal. 
THROUGH TRIALS. 
THROUGH night to light. And though to mortal eyes 
Creation's face a pall of horror wears, 
Good cheer, good cheer ! the gloom of midnight flies, 
There shall a sunshine follow, mild and fair. 
Through storm to calm. And though his thunder car 
The rumbling tempest drives through earth and sky, 
Good cheer, good cheer ! The elemental war 
Tells that a blessed healing hour is nigh. 
Through frost to spring. And though the biting blast 
Of Boreas stiffens nature's juicy veins, 
Good cheer, good cheer ! When winter's wrath is past, 
Soft murmuring spring breathes sweetly o'er the plains. 
Through strife to peace. And though with bristling 
front, 
A thousand frightful deaths encompass thee, 
Good cheer, good cheer ! Brave thou the battle's brunt, 
For the peace march and song of victory. 
Through cross to crown. And though thy spirit's life 
Trials untold assail with giant strength, 
Good cheer, good cheer ! Soon ends the bitter strife, 
And thou shalt reign in peace with Christ at length. 
Through death to life. And through this vale of tears, 
And through this thist'e-field of life, ascend 
To the great supper, in that world whose years 
Of bliss unfading, cloudless, know no end. 
—Rosegarten. 
tneral Artirle5. 
Power and Humility of Jesus. 
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. 
JESUS, to obtain a little season of repose, and 
for the benefit of his disciples, proposed that they 
should go with him into a desert place and rest 
awhile. There were suitable places for such re-
tirement beyond the sea from Capernaum, and 
they entered a boat and made their way thither. 
But some who were searching for Jesus saw him 
depart, from the shore, and the anxious people 
gathered together watching the slowly receding 
boat. The news spread from city to city that 
Jesus was crossing the sea; and many who were 
eager to see and hear him flocked to the place 
where it was thought that his boat would land, 
while others followed him over the water in boats. 
So when Jesus and his disciples landed they found 
themselves in the midst of a multitude of people, 
pressing forward on all sides to meet them. 
Jesus, perceiving all this, beckons to Peter, 
who is in his boat on the sea, to come nigh. The 
disciple obeys the signal, and comes to shore. 
Jesus presses through the throng, and steps into 
the boat, bidding Peter to thrust out a little from 
the land. He now sits in the rocking boat of the 
fisherman, and, in full sight and hearing of the 
crowd, finishes the long and toilsome day by 
speaking precious truths to them. The Son of 
God, leaving the royal courts of Heaven, takes 
not his position upon David's throne; but from 
the swaying seat of a fisherman's boat, speaks 
the words of eternal wisdom which are to be im-
mortalized in the minds of his disciples and given 
to the world as the legacy of God. 
As the sun was setting, Jesus saw before him 
five thousand people besides women and children, 
who had been all day without food. He inquired 
of Philip concerning the probability of obtaining 
bread for so large a number, that they might not 
priests and rulers be humbled, and compelled to 
yield honor to Him who comes clothed with the 
authority of God. They begin to devise means 
to accomplish their purpose; but Jesus discerns 
their plans, which, if followd out, would defeat 
the very work he designs to do, and put a period 
to his instruction and deeds of mercy and benev-
olence. 
Already the priests and rulers look upon him 
as one who has turned the hearts of the people 
from them to himself. Already they so dread his 
growing influence among them that they seek to 
take his life. He knows that violence and insur-
rection would be the result of his exaltation as 
Israel's king. He did not come into the world to 
set up a temporal kingdom; his kingdom, as he 
had stated, was not of this world. The multi-
tude do not perceive the dangers arising from the 
movement they contemplate; but the calm eye of 
divine wisdom discovers all the hidden evils. 
Jesus sees that it is time to change the current of 
feeling among the people. He calls his disciples 
to him and directs them to immediately take the 
boat and return to Capernaum, leaving him to dis-
miss the people. He promises to meet them that 
night or on the following morning. The disciples 
are loth to submit to this arrangement. They 
are ambitious that Jesus should receive his true 
merits, and be lifted above the persecutions of 
the priests and rulers. The favored moment 
seems to have arrived, when, by the unanimous 
voice of the people, Christ can be elevated to his 
true dignity. 
They cannot feel reconciled that all this enthu-
siasm shall come to naught. The people were as-
sembling from all quarters to celebrate the pass-
over af Jerusalem. They were all anxious to 
see the great Prophet whose fame had spread 
through all the land. This, to the faithful fol-
lowers of Jesus, seemed the golden opportunity 
to establish their beloved Master as Israel's k-ng. 
It seemed, in the glow of this new ambition, a 
very hard thing for them to go away by them-
selves and leave their Master alone upon the 
desolate shore, surrounded by high and barren 
mountains. 
They remonstrate against this arrangement; 
but Jesus is firm in his decision, and commands 
them to follow his directions with an authority 
that he had never before assumed toward them. 
They obey in silence. Jesus then turns to the 
multitude, and perceives that they are thoroughly 
decided to force him into becoming their king. 
Their movements must be checked at once. The 
disciples had already departed, and he now, stand-
ing before them witll a grand dignity, dismisses 
them in so firm and decisive a manner that they 
dare not disobey his commands. The words of 
praise and exaltation die upon their 'ips. Their 
steps are stayed as they are in the very act of 
advancing to seize him, and the glad and eager 
looks fade from their countenances. There were 
men of strong minds and firm determination in 
that throng, but the kingly bearing of Jesus, and 
his few quiet words of authority, quelled the tu-
mult in a moment and frustrated all their designs. 
Like meek, submissive children, they obey the 
command of their Lord, submitting humbly, and 
without question, to a power that they recognize 
as above all earthly authority. 
Jesus looked upon the retreating multitude 
with yearning compassion. He felt that they 
were as scattered sheep without a shepherd. 
The priests who should have been teachers in 
Israel, were but machines for performing unmean-
ing ceremonies and repeating the law they did 
not themselves understand nor practice. When 
he was left alone he went up into the mountain, 
and, for many hours, bent in supplication before 
the Father with bitter agony and tears. Not for 
himself were those earnest prayers, but for man, 
depraved and lost but for redeeming grace. It 
Eijc *ign5 of te 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, FOR THE 
S. D. A. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
(For Terms, etc., See I,st Page.) 
206 �
11E1 F SIGNS OF TET �
 TIMES. �VoL. 9, No. 18. 
was for man that the Son of God wrestled with teach that the gospel Of the Son makes void the trampling on the authority of the one, and mak-
his Father, asking that the poor sinful creature law of the Father. Paul decides the question in ing a friend of the other? "I and my Father 
might turn from his guilt to the light of salva- these emphatic words: " God forbid; yea, we es- are one." The Jew insults the Father, in his 
tion. �
• �
tablish the law." �
rejection of the Son; and the Christian flings 
The Saviour knew that his days of personal effort �
The gospel is a necessity in consequence of law in the face of Heaven equal insult, in all his 
for men upon earth were numbered. He who transgressed. Where there is no law there is no acts of worship in which he vainly thinks to 
read the hearts of men knew that comparatively transgression; no sin, no need of the blood of make Jesus his friend while, with light upon the 
few would accept him as their Redeemer, ac- Christ, no need of the gospel. But the gospel subject, he breaks the commandments of God. 
knowledging themselves lost without his divine teaches that Christ died for sinners, on account �
The oneness of the Father and the Son is seen 
aid. The Jews were rejecting the very help that of their sins. Sin is the transgression of the law. at the transfiguration. That voice which is the 
God had sent to save them from utter ruin. He came, therefore, as the great sacrifice for those highest authority in the universe, is there heard 
They were fastening the chains that bound them who transgress the law. , The gospel presents saying, " This is my beloved Son; hear him." It 
in hopeless night. They were bringing upon him to the sinner as the bleeding sacrifice for the is alto seen in the closing benediction of the Son, 
themselves the certain wrath of God for their sins of those who transgress the law. This fact in the last chapter of the Bible, which presents 
blind and obstinate wickedness. Hence the grief establishes the existence of the law of God. Re- before those who are loyal, the glories of the 
of Jesus, and his tears and strong cries for his mis- move the law, and we have no further need of reward in reserve for the obedient. " Blessed are 
taken people, who spurned his love that would save Christ and his gospel. �
they that do his commandments, that they may 
 
them from the retribution of their sins. Deep �
In the gospel arrangement for the salvation of have right to the tree of life, and may enter in 
emotion shakes that noble form as he keenly man, there are three parties concerned: the Law- through the gates into the city." 
realizes the doom of the peop, e he has come to giver, the 'Advocate, and the sinner. The words �
I briefly call attention to three grand events 
save. In every trial and emergency, Jesus went of the apostle are to the point: " If any man sin which have taken place in connection with the 
to his Heavenly Father for help, and, in those se- we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus sad history of fallen man, either one of which is 
cret interviews, received strepgth for the work Christ the righteous." 1 John 2 : 1. Sin is the sufficient to establish the perpetuity of the law of 
that lay . before him. Christians should follow transgression of the law of„the Father; hence the God. 
the example of their Saviour, and seek in prayer sinner offends the Father, is in troube with the �
First, the fall with all its terrible consequences. 
the strength that will enable them to endure the Father, and needs Jesus to plead his cause with If the law of God was of such a nature that it 
trials and duties of life. Prayer is the Chris- the Father. But if the. Father's law has been could, in any particular, be changed at any time, 
tian's defense, the safeguard of his integrity and abolished, and Christ sustains to the sinner it would have been thus changed before Adam 
virtue. 
�
�
the relation of lawgiver, who is his advocate ? and Eve left Eden. If the plan of God's moral 
" Mother Mary," or some other one of the multi- government could be changed, it would then have 
The Law and the Gospel. �tude of canonized saints will answer for the Pap- been changed, so as to set them free, and save 
ist; but what will the Protestant do in this case ? the tide of human wretchedness and agony 
(Concluded.) �
If he urges that Christ, and not the Father, is the which has followed. But no; it could not be 
WE now come to the New Testament. The lawgiver, and that in the present dispensation, changed. The curse must fall on man, and upon 
first four chapters of Matthew are devoted to a sin is the transgression of the law of Jesus Christ, the earth for man's sake; and the blight and 
sketch of the genealogy of Christ, Joseph, and then I press him to tell me who the sinner's ad- mildew of sin must follow everywhere, and hang 
vocate is. And I ask him to harmonize his posi- upon creation like a pall of death. Why? Be-
Mary, the birth of Jesus, Herod slaying the 
children of Bethlehem, John the Baptist, the tion with the words of the beloved John, " If any cause God's law that bad been transgressed 
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, could not be changed—could not be abolished. 
temptation of Christ, and his entering upon his 
public. ministry. The fifth chapter opens with Jesus Christ the righteous." �
Every fading flower and falling leaf, since man 
Paul addresses the elders of the church at left Eden, has proclaimed the law of God change-
his inaugural address. This was his first sermon. 
In this memorable sermon upon the mount, Christ Miletus, relative to the fundamental principles of less. This has been the result of sin. It is the 
warns his disciples against a terrible heresy that the plan of salvation, thus: "I kept back nothing result of the terrible fall. And this has all come 
that was profitable unto you, but have showed about because of the transgression of that law 
would soon press its way into the church. 
you and have taught you publicly, and from which is as changeless as the throne of Heaven. 
The Jews boasted of God, of Abraham, and of 
house to house, testifying both to the Jews and 
the law, but despised and rejected Jesus. The �
If that law could ever be changed in any partic- 
great facts connected with his resurrection were also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and ular, it would have been changed when there 
soon to be so convincing that many would believe. faith toward, our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20 : were but two fallen 'beings, in such a way as to 
And as, the Jews were to reject and crucify the 20, 21. The apostle has here set before the men free them from the sentence of death, and raise 
 
Son, while boasting in the law, Christians would of the present dispensation two distinct duties. them from their degradation, and the race from 
run to the opposite and equally fatal heresy of First, the exercise of repentance toward God; continued sin, crime, and woe. 
trampling upon the authority of the Father, and for his law is binding upon them, and it is his law �
Think of the recent American war, with all its 
that they have transgressed. Second, the exer-
despising his law, while receiving Christ and
terrible agony. But this is only an item in the 
glorying in the gospel. It has ever been Satan's cise of faith toward Christ as the great sacrifice vast record of human woe. For six thousand 
object to separate, in the faith, of the church, the for their sins, and their advocate with the Father. years, the tide has been swelling, and creation 
Father and the Son. With the Jews was the cry, 
�
�
These are both indispensable. Paul presented has been adding groan to groan. Oh! the sorrow, 
both. He kept back nothing pertaining to the the wretchedness, the agony! Who can compute 
The Father, Abraham, the law; but away with 
Jesus and his gospel. With Christians' the cry plan of salvation, that was profitable. �
it ? The fall then ' with all its accumulated 
was to arise, Christ, the cross the gospel; but �
The closing words of the third angel point di- wretchedness, proclaims God's law changeless. 
, 
away with the law of the Father. To meet this reedy to a body of Christian commandment- We hasten to notice the next great event which 
heresy, ere-long to arise in the Christian church keepers. "Here 
 are they that keep the com- proclaims this truth. 
, 
the Master, in his first recorded sermon, spoke mandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Rev. Second, the announcement of the ten cora-
14 : 12. The Jew takes no stock in this text, be- mandments from Sinai with imposing display. 
pointedly. Listen to his appeal to his disciples in 
the presence of the assembled multitudes:— 
cause he sees in it the despised Jesus of Nazareth. It was not left for Moses to proclaim this law. 
"Think not that I am come to destroy the Many professed Christians find it as objectionable It was not left for an angel to assemble the tribes 
law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, as the Jew, for the reason that they find in of Israel, and utter these ten holy precepts in 
but to fulfill. For verily I. say unto you, Till it the equally-despised commandments of God. their hearing. The Lord himself descended in 
I and my Father 
" 
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall But said the adorable Jesus, �
awful grandeur, and proclained these precepts in 
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. are one." So the law of the ,Father and the the hearing of all the people. 
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these gospel of the Son pass through all dispensations Do you say that that was the origin of the law 
of man's fallen state, in perfect harmony. Would 
least commandments, and shall teach men so, he
of God? Do you say that the Lord descended 
shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; God, that both the blind Jew and the blind' Chris- on Sinai, and there legislated? And do you say 
but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same tian might see this, and embrace the whole truth, that he has since abolished that code, or changed 
instead of each a part, might keep the command- it ? When did he do this ? Where did he do it ? 
shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven." 
merits of God and the Faith of Jesus, and' be Has any prophet foretold that such an event should 
These words of warning from our Lord fully 
meet the case. They need no comment. The saved. �
take place ? And has any apostle recorded that 
history of the church, showing how loosely great �
But here let it be distinctly understood that such a work was ever done ? Never. 
and apparently good men have held the law of there is no salvation in the law. There is no re- �
The several States empower their legislators to 
God, and the present, closing controversy respect- deeming quality in law. Redemption is through enact laws. These laws are published through- 
ing it, give them especial force. �• �
the blood of Christ. The sinner may cease to out the commonwealth. The people understand 
Jesus did not come to legislate. In no case did break the commandments of God, and strive with them. Some of these laws are repealed or 
he intimate that he would give a new law to take all his powers to keep them; but this will not changed. Is it done in secret, and the people 
the place of that of his Father. Speaking of the atone for his sins, and redeem him from his pres- permitted to know nothing 'about it ? No. The 
Son, the Father says, "He shall speak unto them ent condition in consequence of past transgression. same body that enacts laws, also changes, amends, 
all that I shall command him." Deut. 18 : 18. �
Notwithstanding all his efforts to keep the law or abolishes, and the people are apprised of the 
"Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is of God, he must be lost without faith in the aton- fact. This is made as public as the enactment of 
not mine, but his that sent me." John 7 :16. ing blood of Jesus. And this was as true in the the law. And has not the Lord manifested as 
" I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath time of Adam, of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, much wisdom in managing affairs in which man 
taught me, I speak these things." Chap. 8 : 28. Moses, and the Jews, as since Jesus died upon the has so great an interest, affairs which affect his 
" The word which ye hear is not mine, but the cross. No man can be saved without Christ. �
eternal welfare ? He came down upon Sinai, 
Father's which sent me." Chap. 14 : 24. �On the other hand, faith in Jesus Christ, while and proclaimed his law under such circumstances 
We will now consider the important question refusing obedience to the law of the Father, is as to impress the people with its grandeur, dig- 
of the great apostle to the Gentiles, relative to presumption. An effort to obtain friendship with nity, and perpetuity. Who can suppose that he 
the law of God and the faith of Jesus: " Do we the Son, while living in rebellion against the would abolish, or alter it, and say nothing about 
then make void the law through faith ? " Rom. Father, is Heaven-daring. No greater insult can it ? 
3 : 31. This question points directly to the true be offered to either the Father or the Son. �
Third, the crucifixion establishes the law of 
issue between us and the men of this day who What! separate the Father and the Son, by God. If that law was of such a nature that it 
MAY 10, 1883. �THE SIGNS OF TEE tH TIM �
207 
ing, shuffling, apologetic words and manner, aim-
ing to excuse Moses and David and Isaiah and all 
the inspired teachers and prophets and apostles 
for their hard sayings against sin and sinners: 
" Oh you know the race was not enlightened in 
the time of David," or, " Paul, being a Jew, could 
not, of course, get entirely rid of his Jewish ideas 
and prejudices." Miserable gospel-tinkers! The 
thunders and lightnings of trembling, flame-
wrapped Sinai, as the eternal Jehovah speaks out 
from its darkness a law for the race, are turned 
by them into a meaningless display of theological 
pyrotechnics. The awful agony of the cross, 
that speaks so plainly the fearful penalty that sin 
deserves, and, if unpardoned, will receive, tells 
them no story of human guilt and impending 
woe, or of eternal justice and consuming wrath. 
They rob the word of its, power to convict, and 
hence of its power to convert and save. God 
have mercy upon the sinner who dares thus to 
emasculate the gospel, and also upon the sinners 
he instructs. The one bus never been shaken by 
"the powers of the world to come," and the others 
never are likely to be under such teaching.—Rev. 
J. T. McCrory. 
could be abolished, or any of its precepts be 
changed, why not have this done, and set man 
free, instead of the Son of God laying aside his 
glory, taking our nature, living the sad life he 
lived here upon the earth, suffering in Gethsem-
ane, and finally expiring upon the cross ? Why, 
oh, why, should the divine Son of God do all this 
to save man, if that law which held.. him as a 
sinner could be changed, so that he could be set 
free? But no; nothing could be done in that 
direction. Man had sinned, had fallen, and was 
shut up in the prison-house of sin. His sins were 
of such a nature that no sacrifice was adequate 
but the sacrifice of Him to whom the Father had 
said, " Let us make man." The death of an 
angel was not sufficient. He only who engaged 
with the Father in the formation of man, consti-
tuted a sufficient sacrifice to open the door of hope 
by which he might find pardon, and be saved. 
"Come, 0 my soul, to Calvary," 
and there behold love and agony mingled in the 
death of the Son of God. 
Behold him groaning in Gethsemane. His di-
vine soul was in agony as the sins of man were 
rolled upon him. "My soul," said he, " is exceed-
ing sorrowful, even unto death." The weight of 
man's sin in transgres-ing God's immutable law 
was such as to press from his pores as it were 
great drops of blood. 
He then bears his cross to Calvary. The nails 
are driven into his hands and feet. The cross is 
erected. There the bleeding Lamb hangs six 
terrible hours. The death of the cross was most 
agonizing. But there was in his case the addi-
tional weight of the sins of the whole world. In 
his last expiring agonies he cries, " My God, my 
God, why hast thou forsaken me?" and bows his 
head in death. 
The sun, the brightest luminary of heaven, can 
no longer view the scene, and is vailed as with 
sackcloth. The vail of the temple, the noblest 
work of man, is rent in twain. Christ, the no-
blest being in the universe save One, is dying in 
agony: Creation feels the shock, and groaning 
and heaving, throws open the graves of many of 
the saints, who come out of their graves after his 
resurrection. This great event transpired be-
cause it was the only way by which sinners could 
be saved. The law must stand as firm as the 
throne of Heaven, although the earth shake, and 
the whole creation tremble, as the Son of God 
dies in agony. 
The law of God was given to man as his sav-
iour. Ile broke it. Could it then redeem him ? 
It is not in the nature of law, either human or 
divine, to redeem the transgressor of law. Those 
who transgress the law of any commonwealth, 
must suffer the full penalty, unless the Governor 
shall pardon the transgressor. This is his only 
hope of escaping the full sentence of the law. It 
is said by those who do not fully understand our 
position, that we trust in the law, and the keep-
ing of the Sabbath, for salvation. No, friends, 
you may observe all these precepts, to the best of 
your ability, conscientiously; but if you look no 
farther than the law for salvation, you can never 
be saved. The hope of eternal salvation hangs 
upon Christ. Adam hung his hope there. Abel, 
Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and the believing Jews 
hung theirs there. We can do no more. The 
hope of the next life depends upon Christ. Faith 
in his blood can alone free us from our transgres-
sions. And a life of obedience to the command-
ments of God and the faith of Jesus will be a 
sufficient passport through the golden gates of 
the city of God. 
AFTER all has been learned, the old man is a 
boy again, and turns to songs and prayers that he 
heard when the nursery was his divinity school, 
and the mother the senior professor. Out of that 
seminary he may go to groves of philosophy and 
halls of ethical culture, sit at the feet of wise 
men, and become himself an interpreter of 
thought, a founder of schools and sects, and fill 
the world with records of his inner life and his 
experience in learning how to live. But at last 
he must come back to the simple faith that his 
first teacher taught him. The little child gets 
the kingdom.—.Y. Y. Observer. 
RELIGION is union to God, but there must be 
knowledge and love before there can be comfort-
able union. Do you know God? Do you love 
him ? Are you united to him? 
IDLE men are dead all.their life long. 
Forgiveness and Cleansing. 
BY ELD. G. C. TENNEY. 
Christ and the Sabbath Law. 
as the sentiments of the M. E. Conference at Lan-
THE following is a portion of an address adopted 
caster, Pa. It is just as good as though the mem- 
bers had not immediately afterward resolved to 
work more earnestly for the spread of Sunday 
observance. Their inconsistency does not de-
stroy the truth of their statement:— 
The Sabbath law, as contained in the fourth 
commandment, was not repealed by Christ. While 
many suppose that his teachings were contrary to 
Moses, and while his enemies charged him with 
the sin of Sabbath-breaking, yet his own words 
were: " Think not that Lam come to destroy the 
lair and the prophets. I am not come to destroy, 
but to fulfill.' 
To this emphatic " think not" of Christ we 
must appeal, in order to correct the erroneous 
thinking on the Sabbath question. The sayings 
of Christ in relation to the Sabbath must not be 
so interpreted as to " destroy" any part of that 
"law " which he came " not to destroy, but to ful-
fill." 
" It is right to do good on the Sabbath-day;" 
but it is not right to do "all kinds of good on that 
day. There is a lesser good connected with the 
life that now is, which men may seek during the 
six days of the week; but every seventh day the 
secular activities must be interrupted by a season 
of holy rest, so that men may have time to seek 
the greater good which belongs to the soul and 
spirit. Furthermore, because it is right to do 
good on the Sabbath-day, it does not follow that 
it is right to publish newspapers, run railroad 
trains, and open drinking saloons, and places of 
amusement on that day. Because " the Sabbath 
was made for man," it does not follow that man 
is at liberty to disregard its requirements, and 
employ the day for selfish and secular purposes. 
The Sabbath was made for man, not that he should 
despise it, or desecrate it, but that he should " re-
member it to keep it holy." The Sabbath law 
was enacted " for man " by infinite love; and he 
should therefore regard it not as a grievous bur-
den, but as a gracious benefit; not as a costly sac-
rifice enacted, but as a priceless gift bestowed; 
not as the mark of a humiliating bondage, but as 
the ennobling condition and indispensable safe-
guard of the highest freedom. 
A Contrast. 
THE true gospel-teacher tells men the truth, 
however severe or distasteful it may be. What 
a contrast between Peter's method and that of 
not a few so-called teachers in our day!—men 
standing before the godless and guilty with cring- 
The Growth of the Bible Student. 
Every Christian, if he would grow, must have 
the hi,rh standard of the Bible set before him, 
and that too by continuous study. The standard 
of the world is very lo�—lower than it at first 
sight appears. He who mingles much with differ-
ent classes of men and becomes familiar with the 
prevailing actual moral standard of society, and 
by this intimacy is powerfully influenced, feels a 
dead weight resting on him. His soul is confined 
and shaccled. He needs to turn to the word of 
God and behold the perfections there revealed; 
and more, he needs the encouragements of God's 
promises—he needs to hear God speaking to him 
and comforting him. God now speaks to men 
only through the Bible. The Holy Spirit sancti-
fies through the truth, i e., his word. Just so 
much, then, of the word of God as we allow our 
hearts to hold and feed upon, just that much 
material has the Spirit with which to work to 
sanctify us. The greater one's actual knowledge 
of the Bible, other things being equal or any-
where near equal, the richer and more holy his 
Christian character. When our hearts are empty 
of the word of life, we need not expect to grow, 
because there is no material for the Spirit to work 
upon. We need to see God as he is revealed in 
his word, and look upon him, being always as-
sured that there is something in our hearts that, 
through the aid of the Spirit, will respond to the 
perfections of God with anxious yearnings to be 
like him.—Rev. S. Robson, in Examiner. 
Nothing but Money. 
IT is the aside remarks that let in light upon 
men's characters. A worldly-minded Sunday-
school superintendent, being about to go to Europe 
on business, addressed the school on the Sunday 
before his departure. He waxed fervent as he 
depicted the horrors of the sea voyage, the risk 
of life, the separation from friends and home, and 
the possibility that he would never see them 
again. "0 children," said he, " it is dreadful to, 
think of. Nothing but money would induce me 
to do it."—Christian Advocate. 
A SENSIBLE writer advises those who would en-
joy good eating to keep good-natured. " For," 
says he, " an angry man can't tell whether he is 
eating broiled oysters or a stewed umbrella." 
THE grace of God extended to sinners by the 
death of Christ includes both of these qualities of 
mercy. " If we confess our sins he is faithful 
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness." As sinners we need 
pardon which procures for us the remission of the 
penalty attached to transgression. But if this 
were all that the grace of God ,could do for us 
in our sinfulness, it would not fit us for Heaven. 
We should still bear the stains of sin; our char-
acters would be imperfect; a sense of our wrongs 
would ever rest upon us. The pardons granted 
to criminals by executive officers do not raise 
them above the reproach and shame which their 
crimes have brought upon them; but they go 
forth to their liberty with a tarnished name, and 
a consciousness of guilt which the pardon could 
not remove. 
In the blood of Christ we have pardon full and 
free, which saves us from the second death. •We 
have also a cleansing from all unrighteousness, 
by which we are released from the reproach of 
sin. Our characters are restored to a perfect 
purity; we can stand in the sight of God in a 
righteousness which is complete, represented by 
robes pure and white. 
'0 wonderful love, which passeth knowledge! 
Boundless grace, and infinite merit! Let us not 
only look for escape from wrath, but let us live 
for that perfect purity which God will finally 
bestow upon the faithful. 
THE thoughtful man always grows. He is con-
tinualiy getting new light, seeing things in new 
relations, and adding to his stock of permanent 
knowledge. The Bible student is always a thought-
ful man. He cannot help but be thoughtful, for 
he is stirring his heart with the profoundest 
thoughts ever penned, even the will and wisdom 
of the Almighty, and in his eager desire is mak-
ing that will and wisdom his own. 
The Bible is a mirror—now revealing our de-
formities, and now the perfections of Christ to be 
our own through faith—now holding up as no-
where else the iniquities of a sinful heart, and then 
by a skillful turn shedding full upon us the glory 
of God and transforming us into that " same image 
from glory to glory, even as from the Spirit of 
the Lord." 
208 �
TI-11-4; SIGNS OF TIT ri] TIMIES. �VoL. 9, No. 18. 
A Sketch of Experience. �
abled to relate to the Brethren Lane and the work of the church, and lessening the number of 
members of my church what a revolution had candidates for the ministry. It can be shown 
BY ELD. WM. COVERT. �
been effected in my mind, and we wept tears of that we have good and valid proofs of these 
joy, rejoicing that we could see eye to eye. �
higher truths of morality and religion, even as 
I BEGAN the observance of the Sabbath in Feb- 
New London, Ind. �
we have of the lower ones of sense and sight. If 
ruary, 1868. I was a member of an " Age to �
we neglect either kind of truth, evil consequence 
Come" Adventist Church at the time, and thought �
The Great Danger. �must follow. If we do not eat and drink, we 
that the Jews would soon be restored to the land �
must die. If we refuse to believe in ethical and 
of Palestine, and rebuild old Jerusalem, and that �
AT the dedication of the new chapel at Prince- spiritual truth, we offend God and must suffer the 
Christ would come and raise the sleeping saints ton, Dr. 111cCosh_ delivered a discourse, from which penalties of a broken law, and live without the 
and change the living righteous who believed as I the following on " Agnosticism " is an extract:— grand beliefs and hopes that elevate and cheer the 
did, to immortality, and the worst of the wicked �
The leading philosophic and religious error of mind. God is declared in his works. " The 
would be destroyed; but a middle class who were this day is not Unitarianism, which, in fact, is dead heavens declare the glory of God," the whole 
neither righteous nor wicked, would survive. ,and laid out for decent burial. It is not rational- earth is full of his praise. It is the declared doe-
These we denominated "the left of the nations," ism, for thinking men now see that human rea- trine of Paul, and, I may add, of the highest 
and we believed that they, as well as the "Twelve son cannot construct religion. It is not exactly philosophy which ever carries up to this high re-
Tribes of Israel," would be on probation in a atheism. Few are so bold as to assert or argue gion: "The invisible things of God are clearly seen, 
mortal state during the millennium; that Christ that there is no God. They claim, " We do not being understood from the things that are made, 
would rule on "David's throne" in Jerusalem, and deny the existence of God, we are not so pre- even his eternal power and God-head." 
the immortal saints would constitute his Cabinet sumptuous as this; we make no denials, we simply 
or Royal Court, etc., etc: �
maintain that we have no evidence." The most �
Morning Work. 
Thus we started out with the doctrine of the influential error of the day, the one underlying 
millennium, nearly agreeing in a few particulars. every other, is what is called Agnosticism. The �
PERHAPS, on the whole, moderately early rising 
But the farther we traveled the less nearly we founder of it in modern times is David Hume, us- is now a more common practice in cities than it 
agreed, until, finally, no one could agree with ually called the skeptic; he would be called in the was forty years ago. It seems strange that the 
himself a fortnight at a time; and when we present day- an Agnostic. According to this sys- habit of lying in bed hours after the sun is up 
reached the end of the one thousand years, some tem we do not know things, we simply know ap- should ever have obtained a hold on the multitude 
had many more ages to come in the future be- pearances; and we know not and cannot know 
yond that time, in which the dead were to be whether there is any reality beyond, or, if there 
raised by decades
of brainworkers, as undoubtedly it has in times 
and have a new probation. be, what the reality is. Itsisuorters virtual] past. Hour for hour the intellectual work done in 
We claimed to be the " Brethren of the One affirm that truth cannot be found.
pp �
I Y the early morning, when the atmosphere is yet un- 
poisoned by the breath of myriads of actively 
Faith," and indeefol 
�
�
moving creatures, must be, and as a matter of 
our faith was as uniform as Few are aware—indeed none, except those who 
the color of Jacob's cattle. Yet I felt certain have looked into the subject specially, are aware experience is, incomparably better than that done 
that there was an age of probation beyond this —how prevalent this style of thought and senti- 
p 
dispensation, and this in a general way we called ment is, in the present day, in the English press at night. The habit of writing and reading late 
in the day and far into the night, " for the sake 
the " Age to Come." �
all over the world. It is adopted by a vast body ofquiet," is one of the most mischievous to which 
I do sincerely pity any one who gets entangled of young writers in England, and is being fol- a man of mind can addict himself. When the 
in the meshes of this doctrine, because he cannot lowed, without their being aware of it, by num- 
see clearly the ground just before him that he hers in this country. In some cases it is openly body is jaded, the spirit may seem to be at rest, 
may get a firm footing on anything. The de- stated and defended; in more it is implied with- and not so easily distracted by the surroundings 
which we think less obtrusive than in the day; 
ceptive mirage of the future age blinds his eyes out being avowed. When thoroughly and consci- 
so that he does not see the dangers in the road entiously carried out, it means that we cannot but this seeming is a snare. When the body is 
over which he has to travel. �
know anything. More frequently it means that weary, the brain, which is an integral part of the 
 
I continued to advocate this doctrine until the we cannot discover any truth beyond what the body, and the mind, which is simply brain function, 
are weary too. If we persist in working one part 
Tipton camp-meeting in 1870 That meeting, senses reveal, that we can have no certainty of 
though a very small one, still has possession of spiritual truth, or, indeed, of moral' truth, except of the system because some other part is too tired 
the richest spot in my heart. I had learned to as utility, or the power of imparting pleasure. to trouble us, that cannot be wise management of 
obey God before that time, but there I learned to 
�
�
self. The feeling of tranquility which comes over 
Only those who have penetrated beneath the sur- 
love him,. I went there prejudiced against Sister face are aware how much this creed, or want of the busy and active man about 10 : 30 or 11 o'clock 
White, only because she contradicted the doc- creed, or rather sentiment, is lowering the moral ought not to be regarded as an incentive to work. 
trine of the Age to Come. Her earnest appeals tone and religious faith of educated young men. It is, in fact, the effect of a lowering of vitality 
and solemn admonitions, united with the efforts It is bred in the damps of the earth; it rises up consequent on the exhaustion of the physical 
of Brother White, softened my heart, and it was and is in the air; it covers the heavens from the sense. Nature wants and calls for physiological 
in an impressible condition when Brother Little- �
rest. Instead of complying with her reasonable 
view, and we breathe it as malaria. It is contra- 
john arose to speak upon the "Hour of Judgment." dictory to maintain that we know, that we can demand, the night-worker hails the " feeling " of 
I had disbelieved the Messages because I could know, nothing. But when we have shown this, mental quiescence, mistakes it for clearness and 
not harmonize them with the Age to Come. I �
acuteness, and whips the jaded organism with the 
we have not destroyed the error any more than 
had tried to place them and the prophetic periods we have killed a spectre by thrusting a sword will until it goes on working. What is the result? 
in the future age as props for our bobby. I had into it. For the strength of' its defense is, that Immediately, the accomplishment of a task fairly 
never had the privilege of listening to one of our supposed truth is contradictory, and therefore not well, but not half so well as if it had been per 
ministerson the subject, but when he had finished to be believed. The only way to meet it is to formed with the vigor of a refreshed brain, work- 
speaking, I believed the hour of God's Judg- 
�
�
ing in health from proper sleep. Remotely, or 
stand firm, and to point to truth which we know 
ment is come. 
as being self-evident, and which we are con- later on, ,comes the penalty to be paid for un- 
None but those who have been deceived by strained to believe. �
natural exertion—that is, energy wrung from ex- 
this stupefying doctrine, and then liberated there-What we have to do with those who favor the haunted or weary nerve centers under pressure. 
from, can comprehend its deceptive influence. I system is to set the truth before them and let it This penalty takes the form of "nervousness," 
had been watching the Catholic council that had shine in its own light. -We know that we exist, perhaps sleeplessness, almost certainly some loss 
been sitting in Rome that year, and the decree of �
or depreciation of function in one or more of the 
we know that others exist. Proceeding on in the 
"Infallibility" was of present interest; and. I same way, we find that God exists, that we are great organs concerned in nutrition. To relieve 
was prepared to believe it to be the most bias- capable of knowing the distinction between right these maladies, springing from this unsuspected 
phemous decree ever voted by the "little-horn" 
�
�
cause, the brain worker very likely has recourse 
and wrong, and that we are responsible to God 
power. And when the point was made that the for the deeds done in the body, whether they to the use of stimulants, possibly alcoholic, or it 
"great words which the horn spake" was after 
�
�
may be simply tea or coffee. The sequel need not 
have been good or whether they have been evil. 
" the Judgment was set and the books wereWe have as strong evidence of the higher and be followed. Night work, during student-life and 
opened," I could no longer refuse to believe in 
�
�
in after years, is the fruitful cause of much unex- 
spiritual truths as we have of the lower. I have 
the present truth. I now had the right end of �
plained, though by no means inexplicable suffer- 
the
evidence that I exist, but I have also proof that ing, for which it is difficult, if not impossible, to 
prophetic string, and as I unrolled it, every God exists, the author of my being. These men 
point in the Age-to-Come theory vanished from 
�
�
find a remedy. Surely, morning is the time for 
would accept the lower truths, what can be seen 
the field of prophecy, and truth, beautiful, sym- 
�
�
work, when the whole body is rested, the brain 
and felt, in pleasure and in pain, in what they relieved from its tension, and the mind-power at 
metrical, and strong, stretched out before me and eat and what they drink, in meat nd
4 �
in money, its 
bridged every chasm that I had been trying in
best.—Lancet. 
and some are anxious to secure as many earthly 
vain to span with the theory that I had tried so goods as possible. Their agnosticism, practically, 
hard to utilize. The law and the Sabbath bon-,
THERE is in our day a marvelous idolatry of 
and in fact, consists simply in their affirming, and 
sessed new beauty and force. The millennium �
talent; it is a strange and grievous thing to see 
trying to persuade others, especially young men, 
was no longer an unmeaning riddle, and the that we can know nothing of the higher truths, how men bow down before genius and success. 
sanctuary and atonement opened up the whole of moral and spiritual truth, of God, of immor- Let us draw the distinction sharp and firm be- 
plan of salvation so completely that I have seen tality, and a judgment day. �
tween these two things; goodness is one thing, 
no cause for entanglement in my Biblical studies �
This is the deadly influence of the system. It talent is another. When once the idolatry of 
since. 
is seeking to kill the germs of spiritual life which talent enters the church, then farewell to spir- 
At first I did not realize that I was so effectu- 
�
�
ituality; when men ask their teachers, not for 
are deep down in our nature, so as to IK,3ep them 
ally divorced from my old theory. It was not from germinating. It is undermining the faith of that which will make them more humble and God-
until I had made a voyage of discovery up and the rising generation, and -holding. back all the like, but for the excitement of an intellectual 
down the prophetic streams 'that I discovered aspirations of the soul, which lead to high ideals, banquet, then farewell to Christian progress.—
that I had been using the timbers prepared for and to deeds of heroism and self-sacrifice. It is F. W. Robertson. 
the great temple of truth to bolster up error, and filling the air with doubts, difficulties, uncertain- 
�
 
when every piece was brought into its place noth- ties, perplexities. It is, 1 fear, hindering many �
" CASTING all your care upon Him, for He careth 
ing was lacking. Within one month I was en- an earnest youth from devoting himself to the for you." 
THERE are probably very few who really com-
prehend the crime for which Ananias and Sap-
phira were punished. It has been customary to 
refer to them and to their punishment as an ex-
ample of what an awful thing it is to lie, and of 
the terrible consequences of lying. Now while it 
is impossible to exaggerate or even to fully com-
prehend how heinous a sin lying is, it is a fact 
that simply lying was not the sin for which these 
unfortunate persons suffered. Their sin was 
hypocrisy of the worst kind. They wished to 
have a reputation for generosity and benevolence, 
without the necessary self-denial. In the high 
priest's palace, Peter himself had told an open lie, 
and had added profanity to his lying. In his case 
it was unpremeditated; he fell under the tempta-
tion almost before he was aware of it. 
But in this case there was design; Ananias and 
his wife had agreed together to practice this de-
ception, and they dared to persist in it even in the 
place of solemn prayer. They lied to the Holy 
Ghost. if Peter had not questioned them, they 
would have simply handed in a part of the money 
and said nothing; but their sin would have been 
the same. Their lying words to Peter were 
wicked, but the enormity of their crime consisted 
in their desire to appear better than they really 
were. From this we may learn how God regards 
the hypocrite. There are many ways in which 
we may act the same part. God does not punish 
every case of this sin as he did in this instance, 
but he takes notice of it none the less, and at the 
last day, " will bring to light the hidden things of 
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of 
the hearts." 1 Cor. 4: 5. 
BUT even hypocrisy was not the whole of their 
crime. The text says they " kept back " part of 
the price of the land. The original word occurs 
elsewhere but once in the New Testament, Titus 
2 : 10, where it is rendered "purloining." Greenfield 
defines it, " to keep back anything unlawfully, 
secrete, purloin, embezzle." The case, then, was 
this: It was understood that those who at that 
time sold property, did it not for gain, but for 
benevolent purposes. Whether they had made a 
formal vow or not, the act of selling the land was 
evidence of at least an outward consecration of it 
to the cause of God. And yet so lightly did they 
regard their vow that they dared to appropriate 
a portion of the property to their own use. But 
this was simply stealing, for as soon as the de-
cision was made to devote the proceeds of the sale 
to the cause, the land belonged to God. Then we 
may also learn from this how serious a matter it 
is to vow to the Lord and then neglect to pay our 
vows. It is a terrible thing to refuse to help 
support God's cause, but it is still worse to vow 
and not pay. No wonder the question is asked 
in astonishment, " Will a man rob God? " Let 
each one ask himself this question. 
THIS signal manifestation of the wrath of God 
upon the dissemblers was a check which Infinite 
-Wisdom knew was needed. The church would 
have been disgraced, if, in the rapid increase of 
professed Christians, there were persons profess-
ing to serve God, but worshiping mammon. 
There are many Ananiases and Sapphiras in our 
day, whom Satan tempts to dissemble because of 
their love of money. By various plans and ex-
cuses they withhold from the treasury of God 
the means intrusted to them for the advancement 
of the cause of God. Should the punishment of 
Ananias and. Sapphira be visited upon this class, 
there would be many dead bodies in our churches 
requiring burial.—Spirit of Prophecy. 
A Modern Sapphira. 
IN the market-place of the town of Devizes, in 
England, there is a tablet which records that near 
to the spot on which it is fixed; a woman dropped 
down dead, having just uttered the words, " If I 
have got the half-crown, may God strike me 
dead! " and the coin was found firmly fixed in the 
hand of her corpse.—W. Al. Taylor. 
"We ought to obey God rather than men." That 
would seem to be an indisputable truth; but it is 
really a truth that is not even generally accepted 
as a basis of action-in the world at large. What 
men insist on, rather than what God has com-
manded, is popularly binding. Fashion is more 
blindly followed than Bible teachings, by the av-
erage church-goer. Many a man or woman 
shrinks from standing out against public senti-
ment, while quietly defying God by conscious dis-
obedience of his law. And there are multitudes 
who would hesitate to break a statute law, when 
they would not quiver at the thought of break-
ing some positive law of God. There are those 
who would not steal a dollar from the public 
treasury (there are those, I say, even if they are 
by no means the entire population), yet who 
would steal time and service from God, with 
hardly a thought of special iniquity. And the 
world generally judges men rather by their con-
formity to man's law than to God's law. A 
church-member can defraud God out of his dues 
without losing caste in church or community, 
when he would be a branded man if he openly 
defrauded one of his fellows to a far less extent. 
Yet, in spite of popular practice in such matters 
c, we ought to"—wh ether we do or not, " we 
ought to obey God rather than men." The apos-
tles were sound on this point. It is a pity that 
more of us are not as sound just here.—II. Clay 
Trumbull. 
HE doth much that doth a thing well. 
A Valuable Book on an Important Subject —New Edition. 
THE LIFE AND EPISTLES OF 
ST. PAUL. 
BY W. J. CONYBEARE, M. A., LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, 
CAMBRIDGE, AND J. S. HowsoN, M. A., PRINCIPAL OF 
THE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE, LIVERPOOL. 
A NEW and popular edition, complete in one volume with index, chrono-
logical tables, and notes. 
The purpose of this work is to give a living picture of St. Paul himself 
and of the circumstances by which he was surrounded. To accomplish 
this much more has been done by them than to present a mere transcript 
of the Scriptural narrative. For example, to comprehend the influences 
under which the Apostle grew to manhood, we must realize the position 
of a Jewish family in Tarsus, and must understand the kind of education 
which be would receive as a boy in his Hebrew home, or in the schools 
of his native city, and in riper years "at the feet of Gamaliel" in Jeru-
salem; while to understand his history as a missionary to the heathen, 
we must know the state of the different populations which he visited, 
and the character of the Greek and Roman civilizations of his time. 
What Dr. Geikie has done for the Life of Our Lord, Conybeare and 
Howson have done for the life of St. Paul. As a picture of the civiliza-
tion of Paul's time, their book is admirable, and shows thorgugh famil-
iarity with all those places and aspects of truth which study can make 
available in interpreting the wonderful life and teachings of the Great 
Apostle to the Gentiles. It is a work of gigantic industry and profound 
learning, and has already passed through many editions. 
TESTIMONIALS. 
THE Life and Epistles of Paul, by Conybeare and Howson, is emphat-
ically a standard work, so thoroughly executed that it seems doubtful 
that it can be much improved upon. I have often referred to it in my 
studies, and always with profit. The apostle Paul was not only, to use 
his own words, " in labors more abundant," but his letters form a large 
part of the literature of the New Testament. It is not for the mere 
gratification of curiosity that we wish to learn what we can of such a 
man. By studying his personal history and the circumstances connected 
with his untiring labors, we are able to enter into the spirit of his work, 
and far better to appreciate what he has written. I can cordially rec-
ommend this book to all students of the New Testament. 
J. H. WAGGONER. 
THE Life of St. Paul by Conybeare and Howson, I regard as a hook of 
great merit, and one of rare usefulness to the earnest student of the New 
Testament history. �
ELLEN G. WHITE. 
MAY 10, 1883. �1`11 �
 SIGNS OF TIT �
I TIMES. �
209 
• 
" AND of the rest durst no man join himself 
to them, but the people magnified them." Verse 
13. This passage is rather obscure, and various 
fanciful opinions are given by different commenta-
tors in regard to it. The following seems to us 
the most reasonable explanation of it: There is 
a contrast between "the rest" and "the people," 
the former term being used with reference to the 
wealthy class, to which Ananias evidently be-
longed, and the latter term being applied to the 
common people. We learn from this verse, then, 
that the judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira 
accomplished just what was intended,—it kept 
the young church free from those who would use 
its growing popularity as a means of gaining 
honor for themselves. The church of God was 
never intended to be used as a means of gaining 
access to " good society." 
"AND they departed froM the presence of the 
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy 
to suffer shame for his name." The apostles had 
been beaten—a punishment that carries with it 
more disgrace than anything else. And yet they 
rejoiced. As we study the lesson, it is easy for us 
to see why they should rejoice; but how would it be 
if we were in similar circumstances ? If we think 
that we would do as they did, we can easily test 
'the matter. If we endure the little trials that be-
fall us, uncomplainingly; if we are patient under 
abuse or ridicule, then it may be that we could 
rejoice in persecutions. It is not a hardship, but 
a privilege, for the Christian to suffer for Christ. 
-It is accounted as much a blessing as it is to be 
allowed to believe on him. Phil. 1: 29. See also 
1 Thess. 3: 3; 2 Tim. 2: 12; Matt. 5:10-12. 
E. J. W. 
*aliath-#chool. 
Lesson for the Pacific Coast—May 19. 
ACTS, CHAPTER 5. 
Daily Reading in Connection with the Lesson. 
SUNDAY—Mai. 3 : 1-12. �
MONDAY—Joshua 7. 
TUESDAY—Daniel 3. �
WEDNESDAY—Daniel 6. 
THURSDAY—Ps. 124; 125. �
FRIDAY—Ps. 27. 
SABBATH—Matt. 5 : 10-12; Mark 10 :29, 30; John 15: 
18-21; Rom. 4:16-18; 1 Thess. 3:3, 4; 2 Tim. 3 :10-17; 
4 :1-5 
Notes on the Lesson. 
"YE intend to bring this man's blood upon us." 
These wicked rulers had no fear of God before 
their eyes, but they feared the people. Verse 26 
says, " They feared the people lest they should 
have been stoned." The people had been healed 
in the name of Jesus; but every sermon of the 
apostles showed that the Jewish rulers had cru-
cified him. The rulers did not by these words 
intend to deny that they had put Jesus to death; 
they simply showed that they feared the conse-
quences if the people should have the matter set 
before them in its true light. 
"WE ought to obey God rather than men." 
This is a truth which is recognized by all, and 
acted upon by but few. A writer in the Chris-
tian at Work truly says: " In all human things it 
is our duty to be submissive, as Paul shows, to 
the government under which we live; but in di-
vine things, where God speaks and his voice is 
against the decree of government, we are justi-
fied in disobedience." But who dares to disobey 
a decree of men, that he may obey God? There 
are a few, but the majority of those who read of 
and approve the apostle's course, dare not take 
their stand upon an unpopular truth, against 
which there is no positive law. The most 
weighty excuse that can be urged against the 
keeping of the Sabbath of the Lord is that it is 
peculiar and inconvenient. It is easier to approve 
of the good deeds of men in past ages than it is 
to follow their example. But if we approve of 
their course, we condemn ourselves if we do not 
do likewise. 
" BUT," some will say, " we are commanded to 
be 'subject unto the higher powers,' and are told 
that 'whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the 
ordinance of God;' so then, if the Government 
should command us to observe the first day of 
the week, it would-be our duty as good citizens 
to obey." But the example of Peter and John, 
of Paul himself, of Daniel and the three Hebrew 
children, is sufficient to teach us that Paul in 
Rom. 13 refers simply to ordinary, human affairs, 
and not to matters of conscience, for which a per-
son is answerable to God alone. The saying, 
" The voice of the people is the voice of God," 
is one of Satan's lies; " The carnal mind is en-
mity against God." 
WHILE we cannot obey earthly governments 
when they come in conflict with the law of God, 
we need not resist them. This point is well put 
by Dr. Lyman Abbott, as follows:— 
" The church may impose the creed or the rit-
ual against which the conscientious judgment of 
the individual revolts; the State may call upon 
the Quaker to bear arms in war; and thus not 
merely the opinion or taste of the individual, 
but his conscience, may be brought into collision 
with the judgment or even the conscience of the 
community or the family. What then ? The 
answer of the Scriptures to this question is plainly 
submission, but not obedience. The individual is 
not even then to set the community at defiance 
by resistance; neither is he to yield to the com-
munity by acquiescence. He is simply to disobey 
the law, act on his own conscience, and accept 
the consequences. Thus Daniel, forbidden to 
pray, raised no revolt against the palpably unjust 
decree, but prayed and bore the penalty. Thus 
the apostles,. forbidden to preach, organized no 
resistance to the palpably illegal decree of the 
Sanhedrin—for freedom of speech was a consti-
tutional right in the Jewish Commonwealth—but 
went on with their preaching and submitted to 
arrest and trial." 
• 
c$igio of tie Eimo. 
" Can ye not discern the signs of the times ?" 
J. H. WAGGONER, 
E. J. WAGGONER, 
J. N. ANDREWS, 
URIMI SMITH, 
OAKLAND, CAL, FIFTH-DAY, MAY 10. 1883. 
Armstrong's Anti-Sabbath Book. 
EDIIOR. 
ASSISTANT EDITOR. 
CORRESPONDING EDITORS. 
 
 
 
 
�
4•011101O111 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
210 �
TI-I �
11, SIGNS OF TII �
L TIM 
1-4]S. �VOL. 9, No. 18. 
IN noticing the questions of the Christian Advocate 
on the subject of the Sabbath, we again called attend n 
to a Methodist publication, a pamphlet written by a 
Mr. Armstrong, and to our exposure of its deceptions, 
and invited the Advocate (as we had done before) to 
point out the errors in our strictures, if there were any, 
and to defend the positions of the book. If this were 
not done, we stated that we should hold the Methodist 
denomination responsible for the deceptions which the 
book contained. They might indeed free themselves 
by repudiating the book or withdrawing it from the 
market. But they are not willing to do either. The 
only reply to our invitation is the following from the 
Advocate of April 25:— 
" The Signs of the Times wants us to explain and 
defend the argument of Rev. Wm. Armstrong on the 
question, 'Is Saturday or Sunday the Christian Sab-
bath ?' The work can be bought for twenty-five cents, 
and any one interested can get it and read it. Per-
sonally, we have no special concern about the matter. 
Whether Mr. Armstrong is right in interpreting the 
case and the history of the Sabbath or not does not 
bother us. Our neighbor's devotion to the seventh day 
is very emphatic, and hence he puts all his Strength 
upon it to very little effect, except among his own peo-
ple. We think it a question of no more consequence 
whatever, and we always pity any one who gets excited 
about it. As we do not believe that our readers are 
generally interested in the Sabbatarian controversy, 
we respectfully decline to fill our paper with it." 
In another item in the same number of the Advocate, 
on the same, subject, we find the following words:—
"The Signs of Times wants us to answer its book 
notice of a work on the 'Sabbath,' by Mr. Armstrong. 
We do not remember the notice nor the book." 
The Advocate has a conveniently variable memory. 
We shall forward a copy of our notice to the editor 
so that excuse will be removed. As to the other, we 
cannot exactly see how his memory needs much re-
freshing, seeing that he says " the work can be bought 
for twenty-five cents, and any one interested can get 
it and read it." This information is strangely positive, 
considering the fact that he has no remembrance of the 
book of which he speaks! 
In other articles the Advocate has made this Sab-
bath and Sunday controversy a serious matter. We 
think it has not lost any of its importance; but that 
the peculiar position in which the Advocate is placed 
makes it convenient to pass it over as lightly as pos-
sible. We do not believe its readers will be satisfied 
with the notice of this subject, as copied above, if they 
understand the facts in the case. And we shall do our 
duty in placing the facts before them as far as we pos- 
sibly can. 
The Advocate says, " any one interested can get it 
and read it." The editor is a man of age, of experience, 
and of scholarship. He cannot be ignorant of the fact 
that his statement does not at all meet the case; He 
does not and cannot say that any one can get it and 
read it and judge for himself. Why not ? Because 
Mr. Armstrong, backed up by the indorsement of a 
Doctor of Divinity, gives a pretended exposition of the 
Hebrew of Ex. 16. We claim that this exposition of 
Mr. Armstrong is a willful deception, false in both its 
statements and in its grammatical construction of the 
original text. And in this mainly consists the wicked-
ness of the deception: The English reader, who is unac- 
quainted with the original text, cannot possibly deter-
mine for himself the truth or falsity of the exposition. 
He is obliged to take its statements on credit. Our 
indictment of the book :s a strong one, but no stronger 
than the circumstances and the cause of truth demand. 
We are free to say that if such a course had been taken 
by any accredited writer or any publishing hoRse of the 
Seventh-day Adventists, it would greatly "bother us." 
And we have not a shadow of a doubt that if such a 
deception could be fastened upon our people, the Ad- 
vocate would help it to bother us as far as it was in its 
power. 
Candid readers, Methodists, look at this case in the 
light of Christian duty and responsibility. Mr. Arm-
strong's argument strikes at the Sabbath of the fourth 
commandment. By God's commandments every work 
will be brought into Judgment. Eccl. 12 :13, 14. This 
is a question that affects our standing -before God both 
now and in the Judgment. A Methodist minister 
writes a work containing an inexcusable deception, a 
willful perversion, as we claim, of the word of God on 
the question. A Methodist D. D. introduces and in-
dorses the work. The Methodist " Book Concern " 
it to the world. Methodist Advocates recommend it. 
And when its truthfulness is called in question—when 
it is indicted as a deception and a work of error—
whether it is correct or not—does not bother the Cali-
fornia Christian Advocate! We must suppose it does 
not. But what religious inconsistency is shown therein! 
Nothing but a personal recommendation by the Bishops 
could give it stronger denominational indorsement than 
it has received. It has gone forth to its thousands of 
readers as a faithful exposition of the word of God, and 
now, after it has influenced their minds in favor of an 
error and against the truth of God's commandments, 
whether it is right or wrong; whether it contains truth 
or error; whether it is a faithful exposition or a mani-
fest perversion of the Scriptures, is a matter of indif-
ference to those who have given it to the world, and 
who still advertise it for sale! They are not bothered 
on the point. It is a matter too trifling to receive their 
attention, or to be suffered to interfere with the more 
important matters they have on hand! 
We have often been accused of a want of charity for 
stating that the standard of religion is lamentably low 
in the Protestant churches; that there is abundance 
of the form of godliness and a great destitution of its 
power: 2 Tim. 3 :1-5. But the fact is more and more 
evident; the proof makes itself more and more promi-
nent. In church standards they are wise; of traditions 
they are tenacious; but " the weightier matters of the 
law " do not often bother them. The evasions are 
legion which are found all over the land, in almost 
every denomination, as a means of getting rid of the 
commandments of God. We are pained with the pros-
pect as we write. God has foreseen and pointed out 
the dangers of the last days, and the deceptions which 
would prevail, and instituted means to secure a con-
scientious observance of his commandments; Rev. 14 : 
9-12; but the church joins hands with the world against 
divine authority. Under the flimsy pretext of a " police 
regulation," or a "secular arrangement," to which the 
churches give the full power of their influence, the 
Sabbath of Jehovah our God is willfully and scornfully 
trampled under foot. "Lord, how long?" 
We would that the message of warning were heeded; 
that the people would flock to the standard which the 
Spirit of the Lord is lifting up against the enemy. 
Isa. 59. But " the Scribes and the Pharisees " of to-day 
are reproducing the history of those of eighteen hun-
dred years ago. They have had the " key of knowl-
edge" committed to them. Unmindful of the great 
responsibility resting upon them, they shut up the way 
of the kingdom of Heaven, refusing to enter therein, 
and to let those enter who would if not turned away 
from the truth of the sacred word by perversions and 
vain reasonings. 
But as it was in the days of Noah, so also in the 
coming of the Son of man. God's Spirit will not al-
ways strive. Judgment will not long delay. God of 
mercy, prepare us to stand in that solemn day. 
Remarks upon the Fourth Chapter of 
Zechariah. 
IN this chapter we have the record of a vision in 
which the prophet saw a candlestick of gold, which 
had upon the top of it a bowl surrounded by seven 
lamps, which were connected with the bowl by means 
of seven pipes. The chapter states that he saw also 
two olive trees, one of which stood at the right side of 
the bowl, and the other at the left. Each olive tree 
poured out oil from one of its branches into the bowl, 
by means of a golden pipe, which connected the tree 
with the candlestick. Thus the two golden pipes con-
veyed the oil direct from the olive trees into the bowl, 
and the seven pipes conveyed the oil from the bowl to 
each of the seven lamps. Zech. 4 �
3, 11, 12. 
This vision, like that in chapter 1 :18, was given in 
the night, for it is said that the angel awakened the 
prophet out of his sleep. Verse 1. The darkness of 
night rendered the light of the seven lamps more ina= 
pressive to Zechariah than it would have been had this 
vision been given when the sun was shining. God 
designed by the candlestick with its bowl and lamps, 
and by the olive trees which poured their oil into the 
bowl and thence into the lamps, to teach the prophet 
how he makes the light of his truth to shine in the 
midst of the dense darkness which covers the earth 
because of sin. 
The candlestick of gold was unlike the candlestick 
in the tabernacle, for that had six lamps upon branches 
which proceeded from its two sides, and it had also a 
lamp upon its top; but this candlestick had a bowl 
upon its top, and seven lamps surrounding the bowl, 
and connected directly with the, bowl rather than with 
the candlestick. Ex. 25 : 31-40; Zech. 4:2. The two 
olive trees were unlike any olive trees known to man; 
for all olive trees produce berries, from which men 
make oil by beating them fine, but these trees produced 
oil alone, and poured that oil through golden tubes 
into the bowl upon the top of the candlestick. Ex. 
27:20; Lev. 24:2; Jer. 11:16; Zech. 4:11, 12. Man 
had nothing to do with the preparation of the oil which 
supplied these lamps. The oil flowed direct from the 
trees into the bowl, and thence into the lamps. 
The seven lamps must signify the seven spirits of 
God. Rev. 4 :5. The bowl upon the top of the candle-
stick from which each of the seven lamps proceeded, 
must represent Christ, for Christ says that he has the 
seven spirits of God. Rev. 3:1. The bowl with the 
seven lamps (Zech. 4 :2) has therefore the same signifi-
cation as the stone with seven eyes (Zech. 3 ;9; 4 :10), 
and as the lamb with seven horns and seven eyes. Rev. 
5 :6. 
The two olive trees, according to Zech. 4 : 6, must 
signify the word of God, or the holy Scriptures; for 
when the prophet demanded the signification of his 
vision, the angel answered: " This is the word of the 
Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by 
power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." 
That is to say, " This vision signifies the word of the 
Lord addressed to Zerubbabel, the chief and the rep-
resentative of the church." Zerubbabel had com-
menced to build the temple of the Lord, but so great 
was the poverty of the people, and so powerful were 
the adversaries that opposed the work, that it seemed 
impossible that he should ever complete the building. 
Hag. 2:2, 3; Zech. 4 : 8-10; Ezra 4 : 1-24. His cir-
cumstances were exactly the opposite of those of Solo-
mon when the first temple was built, for the riches of 
Solomon were immense, and he had no adversaries. 
1 Kings 3 :13; 10':21, 27; 5 :4. When, therefore, the 
olive trees produced oil instead of berries, and poured 
that oil without human intervention into the lamps, it 
was to teach Zerubbabel that God could do his work 
without the aid of man, or, what is the same thing, 
that he could do that work when the resources of his 
people were very feeble, and the work itself very great. 
Yet this vision clearly indicates that there is a work 
for the servants of God to do, however feeble they may 
be. The candlestick itself could give no light, but it 
could hold up the bowl with• its seven lamps, and these 
could illuminate the world. The candlestick must 
therefore represent the church of God. Rev. 1 :20. The 
office of the church is to hold up Christ and the truth 
in the sight of men. Thus the church, which has no 
light in itself, is able to be the light of the world. 
Matt. 5 :14-16; Phil. 2 :15. 
Christ is the central object in this vision, for he is 
the Alpha and the Omega of the Old and New Testa-
ments. Rev. 1:8; 22:13. In him are hid all the 
treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and in him dwell-
eth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Col. 2 :3, 9. 
The two olive trees standing on each side of Christ 
must represent the two divisions of the word of God, 
the law and the gospel, or the Old Testament and the 
New. The oil which flows from these trees signifies 
the truths of the Bible. The Scriptures testify of 
Christ. John 5 :39. The two divisions of the word of 
God meet in Christ even as the two golden pipes from 
the two olive trees poured the oil into the golden bowl. 
The seven spirits as seven lamps give light to the world, 
but they do it by means of the truths of the Bible, and 
these truths have their center in Christ, as the seven 
lamps have their center in the golden bowl. Thus the 
church, or golden candlestick, is the light of the world 
by means of the truths which the Spirit of God draws 
from the Bible through Christ. 
It is remarkable that the angel seems unwilling to 
give a full explanation of this vision, to Zechariah. 
See verses 4, 5, 11-14. But we now know the reason. 
There was to be a later revelation on this subject made 
in the New Testament. This well illustrates the fact 
that our knowledge of the truth is drawn from two 
sources, the Old Testament and the New, even as the 
oil was produced by two olive trees. The angel closed 
this vision by saying: " These are the two anointed 
ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." 
About five hundred years after this, the attention of 
John was called to this subject, probably by the same 
angel, in words very similar to those which he addressed 
to Zechariah: " These are the two olive trees, and the 
two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." 
Rev. 11:4. Now two candlesticks are seen instead of 
one. This was because the New Testament church had 
arisen, though in truth but one church existed in the 
time of John; for the church of the Old Testament gave 
place to that of the New when the latter arose. But it 
is proper always to speak of two olive trees, for the New 
Testament has existed in truth ever since God began to 
pardon sin. One of the old Fathers says: " In the Old 
Testament the New Testament lies concealed; in the 
New Testament the Old Testament lies open." 
God calls these two olive trees his two witnesses. 
Rev. 11:3, 4. These witnesses bear testimony to his 
wiell concerning our duty in the law, and they bear tes-
timony to his power to save us from sin by the gospel. 
They also threaten men with death by fire if they refuse 
to repent. Rev. 11:5. Their word by the mouth of 
Elijah shut heaven that it should not rain (1 Kings 17), 
and their word by the mouth of Moses turned the 
waters of Egypt to blood and inflicted the ten plagues. 
Rev. 11:6; Ex. 7:12. 
The angel said, " Who art thou, 0 great mountain? 
before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain." Zech. 
4: 7. This signified that if Zerubbabel would have faith 
in God the immense difficulties which stood in the way 
of his success in building the temple should all be re-
moved. This case illustrates the meaning of the decla-
ration of Christ concerning the removal of mountains 
by our faith. Matt. 21: 21. 
God assured Zerubbabel that he should finish the 
house, and to encourage his faith he compared Christ 
and the seven spirits of God to a plummet in his hand. 
Compare Zech. 3: 9; 4:10. He said also that when the 
head-stone should be put in its place to finish the tem-
ple, such would be the beauty of the edifice the people 
would cry, "Grace, grace unto it." Zech. 4:7-10. 
J. N. A. 
Visit to Healdsburg. 
MAY 10, 1883. �THE SIGNS OF TI-I1-1] TIMES. �
211 
loving, lavishing on me every gift that heart could de-
sire. Nothing that is good is withheld from me. He 
studies my needs, and anticipates my slightest want. 
But I have a brother who is selfish, and who sligh'o and 
even abuses me, contrary to my father's will. Now 
because of this petty slight from my brother, I will turn 
my good father out of doors, and refuse to have any-
thing more to do With him!" We believe that many 
made a profitable application of this sermon to them-
selves. 
Friday afternoon Elder Haskell spoke briefly of the 
Waldenses, whom he visited on his recent trip to Eu-
rope. He spoke of the persecutions which they had 
suffered for their unswerving devotion to the truth of 
the Bible. Their children were instructed from the 
Bible, and were taught to love it. The Bible was their 
text-book, and their characters were molded by it. 
The result is seen in their descendents, who are charac-
terized by a sturdy simplicity and uprightness that is in 
marked contrast to the immorality that prevails in 
Southern Italy, where Catholicism has borne sway, and 
the Bible is almost an unknown book. These people are 
all ready to receive the whole truth of God, but where 
are the men who have the knowledge, the missionary 
zeal, and enough of the spirit of sacrifice to go and in-
struct them in the way of life ? A strong appeal was 
made, and both speaker and congregation were deeply 
affected. His sermon Sunday morning was on the sub-
ject of faith applied especially to labor in the cause of 
God. 
These plain testimonies and earnest appeals were not 
without effect. As one brother remarked, " Any one 
who could go through these meetings and not be stirred 
with a desire to labor in God's cause, is in a hard case." 
Eight or ten students volunteered to spend their vaca-
tion in the missionary field, in active service. With 
most of them this is their first attempt. Others, who 
are not able to go into the field, will engage in the work 
at home. If these students spend their vacation in 
earnest, conscientious labor, they will not only be a 
great blessing to the cause in this State, but their own 
souls will be watered, and they will enter upon the 
work of the next college year with clearer minds and 
enlarged ideas, much better prepared than now to profit 
by the instruction which they will receive. We hope to 
soon see the number of earnest missionary workers who 
shall go out from the college largely increased. 
E. J. W. 
THE meeting at this place was in many respects one 
of the most important that has ever been held in the 
State. Many advanced steps were taken; -and the plans 
adopted, if properly carried out, cannot fail to have an 
influence on the cause for good, until the close of time. 
These things will appear more fully in the official re-
ports of the business meetings, and in special reports. 
We design to simply speak of the general features of the 
meeting, and give some items in regard to the work 
here, in which all our people on the coast have, or should 
have, an interest. 
Friday forenoon was devoted to a meeting of the 
stockholders of the College. On entering the building 
we were struck with the floral decorations of the school-
room. The busy hands of students had been at work, 
and the doors, chandeliers, rostrum, organ, and clock 
had been neatly ornamented with roses and evergreens. 
We were pleased with this, not so much for the decora-
tion itself, as for the evidence it afforded that the 
students have a love for the school-room, which can 
only come from a love of the studies there pursued. 
The favorable impression thus received was deepened 
by a brief visit to the school on Monday. About ninety 
students were present, and quiet study seemed to be the 
order of the day. The professors have naturally felt a 
little discouragement because as yet there are no 
students in the higher branches; but we could see no 
reason for discouragement. The recitations showed that 
the students have already received a discipline of mind 
that will not readily be lost; they are forming correct 
habits of study, which is the essential thing. These 
things would be more readily noticed by a visitor than 
by one closely connected with the school. We can most 
heartily recommend the Healdsburg College; and we feel 
assured that the improvements in contemplation by the 
professors, who are devoted to the work, will add a hun-
dred-fold to its usefulness. Opportunities for mental 
and spiritual culture are here afforded, which it would 
be a sin for our people to neglect. 
We were much pleased to note the interest manifested 
in the Sabbath-school. This is now the' second school 
in size in the State, and with the influx of students will 
doubtless soon be the first. This school will be, from 
the nature of the case, the most important school in the 
State. An increase of numbers will bring increased re-
sponsibility in far greater measure than in ordinary 
cases, for as the students go to their homes, the influence 
of this school will be felt on all the schools on the coast. 
We believe that the officers of the school realize this re-
sponsibility, and will do all in their power to make the 
school what it should be. We hope that all who attend 
will second their efforts. 
There has been a vast improvement in this school 
since we were there last. The organization of the 
school is good, and there seemed to be a feeling of har-
mony present. At the teachers' meeting Monday even-
ing twenty-two of the twenty-five teachers were pres-
ent, and a good degree of interest was manifested. So 
long as an interest is kept up in the teachers' meeting 
the school cannot fail to prosper. But it should not be 
forgotten that united prayer is one great object of this 
meeting. 
There is but one thing now lacking, and that, un-
fortunately, is not peculiar to this school. The same 
lack exists in Oakland, and we believe it exists in all 
our schools, and among our people generally. There is 
a lack of appreciation of the importance of the Sabbath-
school work as affording discipline of mind and a 
thorough education in the things of God. There is a 
lack of thoroughness in Bible study. The Sabbath-
school has been regarded as different from the day-
school, in that it was not expected that the lesson 
should be learned perfectly. There has been such an 
apparent fearof formalism, and a desire to b e able to 
generalize and state things in our own language, that 
we have neglected that accurate knowledge of the Bible 
which alone can enable us to generalize. The particu-
lar is before the general. Before we venture to state a 
Bible event or truth in our own words, we must be famil-
iar with the words of the sacred text; then, if necessary' 
we can paraphrase. But the instances where it is neces-
sary or proper to change the expression in the least, in 
order to convey its exact meaning, are more rare than 
is commonly supposed. 
This thoroughness of work depends on the individual 
members of the schools. The officers and teachers can-
not demand a perfect recitation, as they would in ordi-
nary schools, however much they may desire the result; 
but if each member of the school will realize the impor-
tance of being able to think and talk in the language of 
the Bible, especially in these last days, our schools will 
be improved a thousand-fold. 
The sermons during the meetings were by Elder Has-
kell, Elder Waggoner, and Sister White. They were 
all of a practical nature, designed to show us the neces-
sities of our present position. Sister White's two ser-
mons were mainly on the subject of the atonement, es-
pecially Christ's closing work in the heavenly sanctuary. 
Christ will soon cease his pleading, and probation will 
close for all mankind. We know not how soon our in-
dividual cases may come up for decision. As on the 
typical day of atonement the people were to afflict their 
souls, so in this most important time, there should be an 
absence of lightness and frivolity, and, in their stead, 
deep searching of heart and entire consecration to the 
work. The cause of God is all-important, and we 
should learn to attend to its wants in preference to our 
own work or pleasure. 
Elder Waggoner spoke Sabbath afternoon from the 
fifth chapter of Peter's first epistle. We are com-
manded to be sober and vigilant, because the devil as 
a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may de-
vour. The inference is plain that those who are not thus 
watchful will be devoured. We are helped in this by 
casting all our care on God, who cares for us. Too often 
we feel great confidence in God in times of comparative 
safety, but foolishly attempt to care for ourselves when 
we see trouble and danger. He dwelt much on the 
text, " Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be 
clothed with humility." A failure to comply with this 
injunction is the cause of all the church difficulties that 
exist. Many persons quit the service of God because of 
some grievance, oftener imaginary than real, which 
they have received from their brethren. The wicked-
ness and absurdity of such a course was vividly illus-
trated as follows: " I have a father whojs kind and 
The Meetings in Oakland. 
BY ELDER S. N. HASKELL. 
THESE meetings we trust were profitable and in many 
respects were of special interest. They were quite well 
represented by our ministers and those laboring in the 
cause, and the leading brethren in the State, as well as 
our tract and missionary officers. The interests of the 
cause were freely discussed; and while all could realize 
that that advance was not being made which should be, 
all felt the necessity of our having more of the Spirit of 
.God to accompany us in our labors. No work has ever 
been of greater importance than the work of the Third 
Angel's Message, in which we are engaged. The great-
est evidence of the near coming of the Lord is the fact 
that God is preparing people in all parts of the world to 
receive the truth. Nations may rise and fall; war, 
famine, and pestilence may be in the land—and all 
these things will be before the Lord comes—but the an-
gels of God have a controlling influence over these 
things, that the closing work of the gospel may be car-
ried forward. This is the most important work in the 
world. Everything else is of a secondary character. 
All Heaven is interested in this work. The great day 
of atonement in the former dispensation was the impor-
tant day of the year. The religious ceremonies of all 
the other days during the year had reference to this 
day; so the day of Judgment in Heaven, when Christ 
enters the holy of holies to present the cases of the peo-
ple of God before the Father, will be the most important 
time in the history of this world for the people of God; 
and when the evidences are seen that this work is 
closing up, it increases in importance. 
As these indications were brought before our brethren, 
they were appreciated to some extent. The ship mis-
sionary work presented some very encouraging features. 
It was evident that if it was carried forward with suc-
cess in San Francisco, there should be a room provided 
near the wharf, where sailors and others who became 
interested could be invited to go and attend meetings, 
and secure to themselves reading matter. Already 
some captains have embraced the truth, and one whole 
ship's crew have regarded the Sabbath of the Lord. 
Many have a desire to attend the meetings of our peo-
ple, but as the church in *San Francisco is over two 
miles from the wharf, it is impracticable to invite peo-
ple there. It was voted by the brethren to immediately 
secure such a room. A pledge paper for $2,000 was 
passed around for this and other purposes. Over $1,100 
was immediately pledged. This paper will be sent to 
all parts of the State for friends who feel it a privilege 
to do so, to take stock in this enterprise. 
Quite an interest was taken in the plan of securing 
monthly subscribers for the SIGNS and doing colporteur 
work by repeatedly visiting these families and furnish-
ing them their reading matter as they may desire. Al-
ready we have a list of twelve who have offered them-
selves to engage in this branch of the work that have 
hitherto taken no especial part in this kind of labor. It 
is expected that our ministers will encourage the proper 
persons wherever they labor to do something in this di-
rection. Much can be accomplished if all take hold to-
gether, and seek God, and strive to advance the cause 
by judiciously distributing our reading matter. This 
will create a demand for our publications. There 
should be thousands added to the subscription list of 
the SIGNS OF THE TIMES upon this coast this present 
season. Nebraska and New England are waking up to 
this subject. One club of 500 copies of the SIGNS OF 
THE TIMES which is being used to send out to those who 
subscribe for a short period has proved inadequate to 
meet thedemand in New England, and they have added 
100 to their club. Nebraska has fallen a little behind 
in the number taken by their State Secretary for this 
purpose. In both of these Conferences the interested 
readers and yearly subscribers are increasing every 
week. When persons have become interested to read 
our periodicals and books and tracts, the battle is half 
fought. The Spirit of God does the converting. We 
are only instruments in the hands of God to lead the 
people where they can become interested in the solemn 
truths that pertain to this time. 
The Publishing Association has been struggling un-
der many difficulties in the past, and even now there 
are many obstacles to overcome, but we hope with the 
blessing of God that the darkest days are in the past. 
Those who have had the special supervision of it during 
the past few years have shown much wisdom, and had 
much of the blessing of God in arranging and planning 
for its success. God's providence is over his work in all 
its branches. We go forward trusting in God, believing 
that he will bless his own work and give it success. 
Those taking monthly subscriptions for the SIGNS in 
California will charge twenty cents. It is thought that 
twenty cents would be no more on the Coast than fif-
teen would in many of our Eastern States. Our breth-
ren returned from this meeting with good courage, trust-
ing in God. 
the Pi55i1111als. 
Missionary Work on the West India 
Islands. 
BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL. 
THE International Missionary Society has 
sought out openings for our publications, and has 
supplied them to almost every civilized nation in 
the world. Those individuals who have become 
interested in the truth have not only received their 
publications directly from the society, but from 
its agents residing where those publications could 
be more readily sent to all parts of the world. 
As a result of this effort, there are individuals 
and small companies in these different nations 
and in the islands of the sea, who are not only 
observing the Sabbath, but who are actively 
engaged as preachers and missionary workers. 
When we hear from these workers we bid them 
God speed; and as their difficulties and afflictions 
in their efforts to spread the truth are made 
known, the sympathy of thousands who are en-
gaged in the same work in the United States as 
well as in other places should be extended to 
them. 
Two or three years ago there was upon the 
island of Tobago, one of the West India 'Islands, 
a small company who loved the truth, and who 
organized themselves into a missionary society, 
and became active workers. The following letter 
READING MATTER 
DISTRIBUTED. 
rd 
g. 
2, 
 
• pau-in4au spodaw 
 
• • .131,PV sIagmalAI 
�
$ 9 40 �
$127 75 �
$191 78 
�
1 10 �
15 50 �
61 50 
�
11 10 �
57 70 �
85 45 
�
4 00 �
21 30 �
45 30 
�
1 25 �
37 60 �
68 75 
2 95 
�
a * 66 �
.167 io �
267 60 
�
23 60 �
52 60 �
111 00 
�
8 10 �
15 00 �
23 10 
�
65 00 
�
79 00 
$126 55 �
$474 95 �
$936 43 
212 �
11111-1; SIGNS OF TI-IH, TIM 
H,S. �
VoL. 9, No. 18. 
is from the leading one /of these workers. He 
has received our publications from Southampton, 
England, and from this country, for a number of 
years. Elder Loughborough and the Secretary 
of the International. Society have had continued 
correspondence with him. Last fall for some rea-
son no letters were received from him, and the club 
of SIGNS which had been regularly sent him from 
the International Society was discontinued at the 
beginning of this year. But since receiving the 
following letter, the SIGNS has again been sent 
him, and money has also been forwarded from 
the International Society to his wife who is now 
in affliction upon one island, while her husband is 
sick upon another, having gone thither to do mis-
sionary work. Those who have donated freely to 
the missionary society can form an idea from 
what follows of how some of their means is ex-
pended. We have written the foregoing that the 
reader may have some knowledge of this case, 
and of what is being done upon these islands. 
The brother who wrote this letter is now at a 
lunatic asylum. 
TO THE OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL TRACT AND 
MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVEN- 
TISTS.— Worthy Brethren and Sisters in the Lord: 
As I now feel able I will write you. For the last 
three months I have been an invalid. This 
is to inform you that I have received, by post, 
" Thoughts on Daniel," etc. I thought of taking 
a tour over to this British settlement as the 
united churches at — have entirely withstood 
me. I came to obtain subscribers for the SIGNS 
OF THE TIMES, and to sell such books as I ordered 
before. Many of their congregations had or- 
dered books which they took for a few days and 
then returned, saying that their minister threat- 
ened to expel them from the church if they pur-
chased any books from me. These books I took 
with me to this place. 1 arrived by Packet, Jan. 
28, 1883. 
On the evening of the 25th inst., had conver 
sation with a few natives, when it was agreed 
that they would purchase these books. .Next 
Lord's day I reasoned with a few on the neces- 
sity of the new birth, and arranged to explain 
the decalogue on the nights of the following week. 
When I reached the fourth commandment as illus- 
trated by works furnished me by Eld. Loughbor-
ough showing the different days of the week 
from the creation down to the present time, I en- 
deavored to point out to the few gathered to-
gether the necessity of obeying the decalogue 
just as it was given from Mount �
by a voice 
irrevocable, so that the mountain quaked. I tried 
to impress the mind with the importance of keep-
ing all of God's commandments, together with 
the faith of Jesus Christ. 
When I reached my third evening, and was 
pointing out the great change that has taken 
place in the fourth commandment, and by what 
power it was done, I was attacked by a mob and 
beaten with sticks. I was knocked senseless, 
and then taken up and carried direct to the 
lunatic asylum. Here I remained four days be-
fore I had any consciousness. The doctors did 
their utmost for me. February 1, my conscious-
ness returned, yet I shall not be able to leave the 
asylum at present. 
I have not received any publications since last 
January. My lonely wife in �
 suffers with 
me, having a young child and no help from those 
owing me, and the crop which I depended on to 
pay for books received from Southampton, like- 
wise postage on the same, was entirely left to 
spoil, and no help from either side. I am there-
fore at the mercy of the public asylum,and they 
will keep me until I am able to care for myself. 
I would therefore apply to your society for 'help, 
requesting that they will continue my papers, and 
also send me a little help for my poor wife at my 
old residence, who suffers for want of my care. 
Dear brethren in Christ, I can with all confi-
dence say that it is the Lord's doing, and it is 
marvelous in our eyes. It is a trial of my faith, 
but with all these around me I count it but doing 
for the glory that is in Christ Jesus. While I 
write, tears trickle down my face, yet they are 
not tears of anguish, but of joy. �
y heart rises 
above this dreary wilderness, and I say, How I 
long to be there! But when I look back and see 
that I have done nothing in the vineyard of my 
Lord, I blush to think that the crown of life for 
which I am striving will be starless; no trophies 
to shine as the morning stars in all their glory; 
no souls gained for my Lord. But with Eli of 
old would say, " It is the Lord, let him do what 
seemeth him good." 
Dear brethren and sisters, pray for me; and 
with your prayers send what little help you can, 
that I may be enabled to go from the asylum as 
soon as possible. All books, tracts, and SIGNS 
are lost, and I myself left alone. Please transfer, 
for the time being, all my papers to this place, 
that they may be of comfort to me as long as I 
remain in the asylum. I cannot say when the 
doctors will dismiss me so that I may do mis-
sionary work, even in the asylum. I shall want 
to hear from you as quickly as possible. 
I am your brother in Christ Jesus. 
March 22, 1883. �
J. R. B. 
California Tract and Missionary Society. 
THE State meeting for the quarter ending April 
1, 1883, was held in Oakland, with the President 
in the chair. Prayer was offered by Eld. Wag-
goner. The directors present were Wm. Ings, 
W. A. Pratt, Wm. Saunders, E. J. Waggoner, and 
M. C. Israel. As no meeting has been held for 
several quarters, simply a summary of work done 
during the past quarter was read, as follows:— 
CD �
SUBSCRIBERS OBTAINED. 
co 
- 
U 
No. 2 
No. 1 �
142 
81 
No. 3 �
84 
No. 4 �
23 
No. 5 �
102 
No. 6 �
13 
N o. 7 �
132 
No. 8 �
87 
No. 9 �
21 
Ships 
Total. 
CASH RECEIVED 
O 
5, 
6. �
p 
$ 55 63 
44 90 
16 65 
20 00 
29 90 -
2 95 
95 10 
34 80 
14 00 
$322 93 
The President stated that the cause calls for 
frequent consultations of the leading brethren, 
and that no Conference can prosper without it, 
therefore the necessity for State quarterly meet-
ings. The experience of the past should prepare 
us for greater work in the future. We should 
have more of the Spirit of God to aid us in laying 
plans for the advancement of the truth. Though 
we have done a good work in the past, we should 
not be satisfied with this. We cannot remain 
standing still, but must advance. One of the 
greatest evidences of the nearness of the coming 
of the Lord is the rapid and wide spread of the 
message. 
Those that are engaged in the ship work 
gave encouraging reports. This work is steadily 
advancing. Many are interested, and some are 
keeping the Sabbath. The temperance work has 
been introduced among the sailors, with favorable 
results. A letter from a sister in Honolulu, stated 
that the inhabitants of the island are a church-
going people, and that this is a good field for 
labor. There is no limit to the influence of ship-
work. It carries the truth to every part of the 
world. 
Bid. Haskell spoke of the importance of the 
colporteur work. We need twenty laborers where 
we now have one, to distribute reading matter, 
and to read and pray with families. 
A letter from Eld. A. J. Cudney, of Nebraska, 
was read, showing the plan adopted by that Con-
ference. The colporteur visits families, and‘gets 
subscribers to the SIGNS for one month, payment 
to be made at the end of the month; he also 
visits families each week, taking tracts with him 
to enlighten them on any point of doctrine in 
which they may have become interested. At the 
end of the month they are induced to subscribe 
for the paper with the premium. Hundreds of 
No. 1 �
61201 �
3045 
No. 2 �
14451 �
606 
No. 3 �
13892 �
2316 
No. 4 
No. 5 �
12533 �
1014 
IsTo. 6 �
6810 �
875 
No. 7 �
49908 �
4770 
No. 8 �
54240 �
2285 
No. 9 �
4112 �
40 
Ships �
17459 �
2059 
Total 234606 17010 
in 
N 
N 
695 255 34 �
8 
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50 11 
30 • . • 
48 �
1 
6 6 
21 �
8 
10 .. • 
34 �
6 
41 �
1 
15 �
1 
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2 
3 
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1 1 1 
59 
5 
156 
796 
21 
241 
1685 
294 
14 
49 
U 
rt 
5 g o. 
 
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1283 
32 
264 
228 
12 
292 
186 
261 
1630 
285 
184 
159 
67 
139 
26 
504 
197 
19 
50 
2 
2 
1 
2 
7 
18 
4 
10 
5 
5 
13 
3 
59 
CD 
1 3 
6 
18 1 
29 
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U 
6 
1 
7 
5 
1 
10 
16 
0 
ro 
z6t. 
0. 
New Subscribers. 
z 
p 
5. 
a 
2 1 
3 
6 
10 
10 
103 
16 
47 
160 
326 
Cash Received. 
=4- 
a 
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ag 
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No. 1.. 
" 2.. 
,c �
3.. 
Agents.. 
Totals.. 
13911 
8208 
5183 
502 
27804 
467 
416 
357 
107 
1449 
$ 2 75 
5 00 
1 45 
50 
$ 9 70 
$ 2 10 
2 80 
22 10 
$27 00 
$ 10 50 
22 60 
24 05 
37 75 
$ 94 90 
1.. .. 
10 00 
2 50 
: �
• . 
$12 50 
$ 13 25 
39 70 
30 80 
60 35 
$144 10 
• 
2 
2 
s.. 
Missionary Meeting at Seward, Nebraska. 
Lately our membership-roll s have been thoroughly revised; hope to 
make reports in future which will very nearly show our working force. 
MRS. G. W. COLCORD, Sec. 
Report of North Pacific T. and M. Society. 
QUARTER ENDING APRIL 1, 1883. 
�
No. members 
�
1.13 
reports returned �
68 
members added 
�3 
" �
dismissed 
�
3 
letters written 
�
210 
families visited 
�
73 
new subscribers obtained �
24 
SIGNS taken in clubs 
�.166 
" �
pages tracts and pamphlets given away. �
9,196 
�
,, �
CC �loaned 
�
27,163 
,, �
,c �
,, �
,, �
sold 
�
4,835 
periodicals distributed 
�
1,326 
Received on periodicals 
�
$243.66 
" �
" Tract Society fund 
 263.80 
" �
" other funds 
 64.50 
MRS. C. L. BOYD, Sec. �CHAS. L. BOYD, Pres. 
ft 
te 
Of 
ti 
CC 
if 
CC 
33 40 
59 36 �
8 
44 15. 9 
72 .. 
•1 19 
208 91 1 36 
No. 1 �
 31 18 
" 2 �
 50 27 
" 3..... �
42 23 
Agents �
 3 3 
Totals �
 126 71 
2 1 
3 
 
MAY 10, 1883. 
MAY 10, 1883. �THE SIGNS O 01 TI-TE �
913 
THE SIGNS O 01 TI-TE �
913 
convened at that hour, the Committee on Reso-
lutions handed in the ollowing, which were duly 
submitted to the meeting and unanimously voted: 
Resolved (1) That we renew the expression of our 
gratitude to Divine Providence for the prosperity of our 
cause in connection with the publishing work, during 
the past year, and hereby renew our pledge to sustain 
the work by our means and our prayers. 
That we recognize the necessity of possessing ex-
tensive publishing facilities, and the late issue over the 
Sunday Law, wherein it was found necessary to defend 
our civil and religious rights, and to uphold the truth of 
the commandment of God, by publishing a special edition 
of the SIGNS, has fully proved that it was in the direct 
providence of God that the office was established on its 
present basis. 
That, in answer to inquiries on this subject, we re-
commend our people to use the publishing house as a 
safe place of deposit for money. 
That we recommend to our brethren to give more 
attention to a resolution passed last year, in the follow-
ing words, to wit:— 
Resolved, That we deem it our duty to employ every 
means in our power to set a knowledge of this truth 
before the people, and that we recommend that special 
attention be paid to the circulation of our denomina-
tional books during the coming year, and that proper 
persons be employed to canvass the country for such 
works as " Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation," " His-
tory of the Sabbath," " Constitutional Amendment," 
and other works calculated to create an interest in the 
"Third Angel's Message." 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
W. K. VicKERY,!S'ecretary. 
subscribers are thus obtained and many others 
become interested to read. A good colporteur 
receives from thirty to forty subscribers per week. 
Sister White spoke of the magnitude of the 
work, and of the responsibilities that rest upon 
4. those engaged in it. Whatever God has given 
us, whether means or ability, should be used to 
advance the truth. We cannot be too earnest. 
All, even the sisters, should understand the doc-
trine, and be able to explain the chains of proph-
ecy, that we may know the time of the earth's 
history in which we live, and help carry the light 
to others. The time that is wasted in adorning 
the body should be spent in the study of the 
Bible. 
A selection from Testimony Twenty-nine was 
read, showing the utility of the canvasser's work 
and the neglect of missionaries in not improving 
opportunities as the way is opened. Eld. Wag-
goner spoke of the importance of the work. 
Eld. Healey, Eld. Rice, and Dr. E. J. Waggoner 
were appointed as a Committee on Resolutions. 
After an intermission the Committee presented 
the following:— 
Resolved: That we recommend the plan of securing 
monthly subscribers for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES on 
trial, and also that our ministers be requested to select 
and recommend to the Conference Committee, proper 
persons for canvassers and colporteurs. 
WHEREAS, The present fund for ship missionary 
work is exhausted, and, 
WHEREAS, About $400 has been drawn from the 
Reserve Fund to pay for the Special Edition of the 
SIGNS; therefore, 
icesocvea: That pledges be solicited to raise the 
sum of $2000 to replace this amount, and to carry for-
ward the ship missionary work. 
As greater results could be accomplished in the 
ship missionary work, if we had more facilities, 
it was decided that a reading-room should be 
opened in San Francisco where a supply of our 
publications can be kept, and meetings be held for 
those that become interested in the truth. 
Pledges to the amount of $1,100 were imme-
diately taken to furnish means for this enterprise, 
and over $250 were paid. 
It was recommended that the subscription price 
for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, in California, for one 
month be twenty cents. It was also voted that 
the SIGNS be placed in public libraries where 
it will be appreciated, at the expense of the State 
Society. 
As the director of district No. 2 has moved 
from the district, it was voted that W. G. Buck-
ner act in his stead. 
The meeting increased in interest to the close 
and all were greatly encouraged. 
On motion the meeting adjourned. 
S. N. HASKELL, Pres. 
Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing 
Association. 
IN accordance with notice the Eighth Annual 
Meeting of the shareholders of the above Associa-
tion was held at the office of the Pacific Press on 
Monday, April 23, 1883. 
After prayer, the President, Eld. S. N. Haskell, 
named W. A. Pratt, Wm. Butcher, and Elder J. 
D. Rice, a Committee on Nomination, and Elder 
J. H. aggoner, Elder W. M. Healey, and E. A. 
Chapman a Committee on Resolutions. The meet-
ing was then adjourned to the church, where on 
reassembling it was found that 869 shares were 
represented by stockholders present, and 1,349 by 
proxy; in all 411 shares more than the number 
required to constitute a quorum. 
The minutes of the last meeting having been 
read and approved, the Secretary submitted the 
revenue account and balance sheet Tor the year 
ending March 31, 1883. Elder Haskell, Elder 
Waggoner, C. H. Jones, and W. C. White spoke 
with regar to the working of the past year. 
The Committee on Nominations submitted the 
following names to the meeting: S. N. Haskell, 
M. C. Israel, C. H. Jones, Wm. Saunders, and W. 
C. White. These persons upon being duly bal-
lotted for were elected as directors for the ensu-
ing year. 
Elder J. H. Waggoner was then elected Editor. 
E. J. Waggoner Assistant Editor, and Elders J. 
N. Andrews and Uriah Smith Corresponding Ed-
itors of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES for the next year. 
Elder S. N. Haskell, W. C. White, and Elder 
J. H. Waggoner were elected to act as a Publish-
ing Committee. 
The meeting then adjourned till 2.30 and being 
When the meeting was over, there were ten, 
who had attended, that decided to giire their 
whole time to this work. Eight will work for 
the SIGNS; one, who speaks German, will work 
for the German paper; and one who speaks both 
Danish and Swedish will spend all his time work-
ing 'for the papers published in those tongues, 
and the "Home Hand-book." 
A portion of the town remained uncanvassed 
till Monday; part of this was given to the new 
canvassers, who went out and swelled the SIGNS 
list to ninety-five' 
 and took eight orders for the 
German paper. The least that any of the new 
canvassers took was' eight names in about three 
hours. 
A party of eight then started together for 
Crete, to canvass that place. Their object in go-
ing together was to assist and encourage each 
other. Two of this party are converted lawyers. 
Our courage is good. We know that God's 
hand is in the work. God is moving upon the 
hearts of the people, and thus preparing the soil 
for the precious seed. 
Public sentiment has greatly changed during 
the past year. One year ago it required some 
skill to induce the people, in some localities, to 
read the paper when it was given them; now 
they are glad to pay for it for the sake of read-
ing it. Some take the paper themselves, and 
then pay to have it sent to their friends. 
April 27, 1883. �
A. J. CUDNEY. 
Berea, West Virginia. 
WE have just closed a two week's meeting at 
this place, which resulted in the organization of a 
church of eleven members, the formation of a 
Tract and Missionary Society of ten members, 
and a promising Sabbath-school. 
These people were in a body cast out of another 
church for holding the peculiar views cherished 
by Seventh-day Adventists. Their attention was 
first called to these views by reading matter sent 
them from Massachusetts by former neighbors. 
This was followed up two years ago by some min-
isterial labor, and now they rejoice in the path of 
truth so plainly marked out in God's word for the 
last days. Thus another church, whose motto is 
" The commandments of God, and the faith of 
Jesus " is planted among the hills of West -Vir-
ginia, from which point we hope the light of the 
Third Angel's Message shall emanate till the Lord 
shall come. �
J. 0. CORLISS. 
Mechanicsburg, Indiana. 
I HELD meetings with this church April 20-22. 
It has been organized ten years. Its present 
membership is thirty. They possess a nice house 
of worship and have a good influence in the Com-
munity. I believe every family takes the Review. 
They subscribed for a club of twelve SIGNS. The 
Sabbath-school takes thirty copies of the In-
structor. They have been quite liberal in re-
sponding to calls for help when they come from 
the proper source. W e believe that as they re-
ceive and distribute the SIGNS, their missionary 
zeal will increase and they will be spiritually 
blessed. �
WM. COVERT. 
Labor in the Sacramento Valley. 
AFTER a short course of meetings at Wyandotte, 
which resulted in five persons taking hold upon 
the commandments of God, I spent a few weeks 
in visiting little companies of Sabbath-keepers. 
At Pleasant Grove, Chico, Nord, Corning,. and 
Orland, I found the brethren of good courage, and 
the general condition of the work prosperous. 
We celebrated the ordinances of the Lord's Sup-
per at Chico and Orland; and in the latter place 
two persons took a start in keeping all the com- 
mandments of God. �
E. A. BRIGGS. 
North Pacific Conference. 
I AM now holding meetings in Linn County, and 
find that some of the seed sown at the tent meet-
ing last summer fell on good ground. Plants 
which have sprung up I trust will yet bring forth 
fruit for the heavenly garner. A church of ten 
members is organized. I remain a little longer to 
bind off the work, and- hope to organize a Tract 
and Missionary Society. Through prayer and in-
fluence, I ask the co-operation of all who desire 
the prosperity of the Master's cause in this Con- 
ference. �
CuAs. L. BOYD. 
Upper Columbia T. and M. Society. 
REPORT FOR QUARTER ENDING MARCH 31, 1883. 
THE State Quarterly Meeting of the Nebraska 
Tract and Missionary Society was held in the 
Baptist church, at this place, last Sabbath and 
Sunday. There was a fair representation of our 
brethren from other churches. 
Much of the time was devoted to the consider-
ation of the canvassing work, which is now be-
ing pushed forward with some vigor, in the inter-
est of the SIGNS. Some canvassing was done in 
town before the meetings commenced; forty-six 
subscriptions at fifteen cents per month were 
taken; twenty-one of which were taken by one 
man in half a day. 
Seward is considered one of the hardest fields 
for such work in the State. My object in having 
this work done before the meeting commenced, 
was to show those who would attend that this 
work can be done in any place. 
ALICE MORRISON, sec. 
214 �
TH to] SIGNS OF THE TIMES. �
VoL..9, No. jE3. 
To pardon from sin, 
A hope for the future world, 
Good health, 
A prosperous business, 
Attendance upon divine service, 
The joy of Christian children, 
Continual increase in value of lands, 
100 or more acres of good farm lands. 
CR. 
By cash paid for pastor's salary. �
$50.00 
Benevolence 
 15.00 
was a Sabbath-breaking and pleasure-seeking 
community. 
We sold our farm; for we did not wish to bring 
up our children with such surroundings, and 
moved into the growing railroad town a few miles 
away. We took our church letters and united 
with the Baptist Church recently organized. 
What we realized from our sale enabled us to 
buy a good corner lot on which we built a store. 
The Lord prospered us and soon we were able to 
buy another lot and built us a house. My busi-
ness increased; I gave twenty-five dollars a year 
for the support of the gospel and felt good over 
being able to give as much as my father used to 
in New England. I saw good chances .or invest-
ing in real estate in our rapidly-growing town 
and flattered myself that my New England 
shrewdness, inherited from my father, was plac-
ing me in very comfortable circumstances. Our 
children were converted and united with our 
church. We all had good health and no family 
had more cause for real gratitude than we, and 
we were thankful to our kind heavenly Father 
for giving us such prosperity. I was a little 
proud when I decided we could give fifty dollars a 
year to the Lord. 
I am now entering upon the year 1882; my 
business last year was more prosperous than ever. 
As I have been balancing the accounts in my 
ledger recently, I took a piece of blank paper and 
wrote along the top:— 
DEACON _HOWELL, �In account with the Lord. 
DR. 
I looked the piece of paper over very carefully, 
and was compelled to admit that the amounts 
placed to my credit do not balance any one of the 
debits. The question flashed into my mind, "How 
much owest thou unto my Lord?" 
I took my Bible and learned that Paul says, 
" Upon the first day of the week let every one of 
you lay by him in store as God hath prospered 
him." Then, I said, it is my business to lay by 
something every week for the Lord's treasury. 
The wise man says: " Honor the Lord with thy 
substance and with the first fruits of all thine in- 
crease." Then it is my business to give first to 
the Lord.' That seems all right, for all the money 
in the world belongs to the Lord (but what a 
sight of it is stolen). I've been thinking lately 
whether I haven't been robbing God. What 
Malachi says in his book in the third chapter, from 
the eighth to the twelfth verse inclusive, keeps 
coming to me. I have just given it another care- 
ful reading: " Will a man rob God ? Yet ye have 
robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed 
thee ? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed 
with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this 
whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the 
store-house, that there may be meat in my house, 
and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of 
hosts, if I will not open the windows of Heaven 
and pour you out a blessing that there shall not 
be room enough to receive it. And.I will rebuke 
the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not de-
stroy the fruit of your ground; neither shall your 
vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, 
saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call 
you blessed, for ye shall be a delightsome land 
saith the Lord of hosts." When I had finished 
reading this passage I said, I have been a robber, for 
I haven't begun to give the Lord a tenth of all the 
money I have received; but have looked after my 
own comfort and ease and never dared to figure 
how much of my money belonged to the Lord. 
Then I resolved to give this year ten cents of 
every dollar I receive. But if a tenth belongs 
to God, I ought not to say very much about given 
till I pay him what he calls for. Then I wondered 
if these verses did not contain the explanation of 
the great spiritual dearth in all our churches. 
Not one of us in a thousand " honors the Lord 
with the first fruits of all our increase," and if we 
brought all the tenths into the Lord's treasury, I 
verily believe the blessing would come. 
I again looked over my " account with the 
Lord." The first three debits I cannot in any 
way balance. The fourth is where I must begin. 
I took my cash book and found the footing 
FALSE PRIDE. 
ASHAMED to own your labor 
To earn your daily bread; 
Ashamed to carry a parcel, 
Lest "something " might be said; 
Ashamed of humble neighbors, 
Ashamed of kith and kin, 
Ashamed to wear your last year's coat, 
Yet not ashamed to sin ! 
Ashamed to save the dollar 
By laying up the dime, 
Yet not ashamed to borrow, 
Or waste God's precious time; 
Ashamed to learn of good men, 
Ashamed to take advice, 
Yet not ashamed to take strong drink, 
And not ashamed of dice ! 
Ashamed to shun temptation, 
Ashamed to answer "No !" 
Yet not ashamed to loiter 
On "corners " as you go; 
Ashamed, before you venture, 
To nobly count the cost, 
Yet not ashamed to boast how much 
At stakes you've " won " or " lost!" 
Poor human nature needeth 
Foundation like a rock, 
And strong supports and braces 
To guard against life's shock; 
But of all the "helps " to aid her, 
And all the "props " beside, 
That keeps her dignity alive, 
The weakest is false pride ! 
—Selected. 
The Deacon's Experience. 
AS RELATED BY HIMSELF. 
I WAS born in New England. My father was a 
member of the Baptist Church in the village. lie 
was a man who believed in looking out for num- 
ber one. He owned the farm which had been 
managed by his father and his father's father. 
This farm had supported several generations. It 
was being continually improved until it had be-
come one of the best in the State. Father was 
never absent from prayer-meeting and was con- 
sidered one of the substantial members of the 
church. He gave twenty-five dollars for the sup- 
port of the gospel, every year. All his children 
were given a fair education. They inherited from 
their father a good degree of selfishness. He had 
taught them to be very careful as to how they 
spent any money, and to be sure their investments 
would yield the largest possible income. 
Everybody said I was " a chip of the old block," 
and with these qualities I left my Eastern home 
twenty years ago to come to the West. I suc- 
ceeded in getting a farm very reasonably. Crops 
were excellent the first year, and I was able to 
build me a comfortable house and have a little 
to spare which I invested in farming implements. 
The second year's crops were even better than 
the first. I was comfortably situated. As the 
years passed by, children came to gladden our 
hearts and home. No man and wife had more 
reason for thankfulness than we. As settlers 
came into the neighborhood, we felt the need of 
church privileges, and soon a missionary from our 
Home Mission Society located near us. Meetings 
were held in the old log school-house, but it was 
the place where many were born again. Of course 
we ought to do something for the support of the 
gospel. I pledged ten dollars the first year and 
we raised in cash and donations about two hun-
dred dollars for our minister. The following win-
ter there was a powerful revival and our church 
membership was doubled. 
About this time a Baptist minister from New 
England located a claim in our neighborhood. 
Re talked with a few of us and said he would be 
willing to preach for us if we would raise him fifty 
dollars a year. He was very generous-hearted 
and said while we were getting our farms into 
shape, it would help us not to have to pay out so 
much for preaching. We talked it over and fi-
nally decided to let our home mission man go and 
employ our New England preacher. ,I tell you 
we did miss the pastoral visits of Elder Williams, 
but thought we could do without pastoral visita-
tion until we had all got our farms paid for and 
pretty-well improved. That winter there was no 
revival and the young people assembled two or 
three times a week for a dance, but did not care 
anything for the worship of the Lord. A spir-
itual coldness came over the members of the 
church, and in less than a year our neighborhood 
for the first week of this year to be $576.57, the 
amount of the Lord's money I had received. The 
wise man says, " Honor the Lord with the first 
fruits of all thine increase," and Paul says to do 
it on the first day of the week, and I hear the 
Lord saying, " Bring all the tithes into my treas • 
-
ury." Then a tenth of -the first week's receipts 
is $57.65. Just here this thought was suggested: 
" You owe several parties for goods and the bills 
are coming due in a few days," and then " you 
must look out to supply your family's needs." 
Then a terrible fight occurred. God's word ar-
rayed against my own selfishness and pride. I 
knew not what to do. After a long struggle I 
said: "Lord, my obligations to thee are far above 
what they can possibly be to men and I bring thy 
tithe first." I then opened an account in my led-
ger headed, " The Lords Treasury," and imme-
diately passed to the credit side of it $57.65. 
There came into my mind a restful feeling that at 
last I had begun to do what ought to have been 
done during the past thirty years of my life. 
I have related this experience with the hope 
that it may lead other Christian men to see how 
much they owe unto the Lord, and especially the 
young men who, if they give as the Lord prospers 
them, will not have the painful recollections of 
having robbed the Lord all their life-time.--
Christian Secretary. 
The True Woman. 
You cannot be a soldier or a preacher; but I 
wish, in the best and truest sense, to have you 
become a woman. This you cannot be without 
great and patient cultivation of your mind; for 
neither man nor woman has any basis of char- 
acter without intelligence. You must be able to 
maintain intelligent conversation; and this re-
quires a great deal of intelligence of every sort, 
and the more in a woman because she must not 
seem to be book-wise and scientific, as men may 
do, but to have her fund in herself, and speak on 
all subjects as if she had the flavor of all knowl-
edge in herself naturally. 
But if intelligence is necessary to make a fine 
woman, other things are quite as necessary. 
Her mind and heart must be perfectly pure, as 
that of infancy. She must be the very expres-
sion of modesty, and without the least affectation 
in her manners. Here the best rule is always to 
feel beautifully, and she will act beautifully, of 
course; whereas, if she undertakes to fashion her 
manners by rule, or to copy others, she will 
surely be stiff and affected. As to her looks, she 
will look best if she is never conscious that she 
has any looks at all, provided only that she has 
enough beauty and refinement of feeling to clothe 
her person out of it; for dress itself is never 
happy or becoming if it is not the natural cloth-
ing of a lovely spirit. As to temper, a woman 
should never seem to have any. A sharp temper 
pricks through the garment of so-Illness, and it 
seems to be only a covering of thorns—of which 
the observer will be duly cautious. She ought 
never to vent or entertain a harsh judgment of 
others, but to cast a mantle of sweetness and 
charity over all she looks upon; for harsh judg-
ments savor of passion, and imply a kind of 
grossness which is unbecoming to a woman. 
Study contentment, look on nothing with envy; 
for it is half the merit of a fine woman that she 
can bear so much with so beautiful a spirit. The 
bright side of life is in her; therefore she is to 
make adversity and loss smile by her patience. 
The angel who comes down to cry peace and 
good-will to mortals must not fret himself be-
cause there are clouds in his way; and if his 
locks are wet by the rain or singed by the thun-
der, he will not justify the beauty of his message 
if he is not able still to smile and to sing. 
Do nothing to excite admiration, for that is 
the way to excite contempt, and, what is more, 
to deserve it. The woman who flatters and 
fawns, and studies her methods to attract the 
admiration of others seems to ask for it, and in 
asking, to confess that it can be gotten only by 
means that are without the scale of merit. The 
humblest flower is never so unwise. It gives• out 
its colors and sheds its fragrance in the air be-
cause it has the secret stores of color and fra-
grance in its cap, and not to please some casual 
observer. Above all, the fine woman must be 
unselfish. We demand that she shall seem to 
have alighted here for the world's comfort and 
blessing, and all the ways of selfishness are spe-
cially at variance with her beautiful errand.—From 
Dr. Bushnell's Letter to His Daughter. 
WRIGHT—Mrs. Lydia Wright, aged 54, wife of 
Brother Isaac Wright, after a severe illness of a few 
months, fell asleep at Petaluma May 2. Sister Wright 
became interested in the Third Angel's Message by 
reading our publications, and united with us by bap-
tism at the Sacramento camp-meeting. She loved the 
message, and lived to see her husband, and others dear 
to her, embrace it. We trust she sleeps in Jesus, and 
while she will be missed here from her place in the 
family, the church and the neigborhood, we know that 
God is good and we feel like trusting him to do all 
things well. He can see the end from the begin-
ning, and will direct all things to the final good of 
those who trust him and do his will. Funeral service 
conducted by the writer May 4, assisted by Eld. J. H. 
Waggoner. �
W. M. HEALEY. 
THE NATURE AND TENDENCY OF 
MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 
BY ELD. J. H. WAGGONER. 
THIS is a thorough sxpoie of the system of spiritualism. The author 
has carefully studied the subject, and has given such copious extracts 
from a large library of spiritualist publications, as to fully condemn them 
in their teachings and in their practices, by their own testimony. 
It is also shown from the prophetic scriptures that spiritualism is one 
of the most impressive signs of the times. 184' pp. Price, 20 cents. 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
�
.111M1•1111•1•11... �
 
MAY 10, 1883. �
THE SIGIeTS OF TII �
215 
—A few nights since, four deaf mutes had a quarrel 
over a game of cards in a San Francisco saloon, and 
one of them was badly stabbed. 
—Twenty-nine new national banks were established 
during the month of April, one of which is at Los An-
geles, with a capital of $100,000. 
—It is reported that the Government had special 
agents watching the proceedings of the late Irish-
American Convention at Philadelphia. 
A former City Treasurer of Buffalo has just been 
sentenced to five years' hard .labor in the State Prison, 
for misappropriation of city bonds while in office. 
—Several Police Captains of New York have been 
indicted for giving notice to the keepers of gambling-
houses of intended raids upon their establishments. 
—A steamer recently arrived in Boston from Liver-
pool with 1,200 steerage passengers, most of whom were 
brought over at the expense of the English Govern-
ment. 
—Another great storm is reported; this time the 
northwestern part of Texas is the scene of disaster and 
destruction, houses being blown down and individuals 
killed. 
—A storm of rain, hail, thunder, and lightning did 
great damage to property in the vicinity of Scranton, 
Pa., May 4. Several large buildings were struck by 
lightning. 
—The inland sea which M. De Lesseps proposes to 
create by letting water into a part of the Great Sahara 
Desert, Africa, would be 200 times as large as the bay 
of San Francisco. 
—A London dispatch, says a document, containing 
charges against a dozen persons now in America, has 
been forwarded to the British Minister. The charges 
are of murder in Ireland. 
—Salmi Morse has been headed off so persistently by 
municipal officers, public sentiment, and finally by 
Legislative enactment, that he has given up the idea of 
producing the " Passion Play" on the stage. 
—Five cases of leprosy are reported from Chicago. 
—Union City, Ind., was partially destroyed by fire, 
May 4. Loss, about $250,000. 
On Wednesday of last week, 2,875 immigrants ar-
rived in New York from Europe. 
—Nearly 300 sheep, belonging to Mr. Dusy, of Fresno, 
were killed in a recent hail-storm. 
—Judge McKee of Oakland has resigned his position 
as one of the regents of the State University. 
The steamer Grappler was burned last week off 
Vancouver's Island, and fifty lives were lost. 
—The late rains are said to have been quite general 
throughout the State, and were quite welcome. 
—Senator Edmunds, acting Vice-president of the 
United States, is sojourning on the Pacific Coast. 
—It is believed in London that a wide-spread con-
spiracy to inuider exists in County Clare, Ireland. 
—There are 4,000 boats and 25,000 fishermen em-
ployed in the sardine business on the French Coast. 
—In New York, April 29, a snow-storm raged all the 
forenoon, an unprecedented occurrence at this season. 
The telegrams from Tucson, Arizona, for one day 
include a robbery, two murders, and the lynching of a 
murderer. 
—The last census of India gives that country fifteen 
times as. many people in proportion to area as the 
United States. 
A San Francisco daily of the 1st inst., reports four 
suicides in the State the previous day, two of which 
were in that city. 
—Milwaukee has a female lawyer, and she was re-
cently fined $10.00 for throwing a glass of water in the 
judge's face in court. 
The reduction of the national debt in April was 
only $3,500,000, owing to the fact that $10,000,000 was 
paid out for pensions. 
—The Jewish Times (San Francisco) takes a firm 
stand against the desecration of the Sabbath by the 
Jews, and pleads for its strict observance. Closing an 
article on the subject it says: " We plead for a faithful 
observance of the Sabbath, not because, it will not 
prove unprofitable, but because it is divinely com-
manded. It is not for us to calculate whether it in-
volves profit or loss. It is not a matter of dollars and 
cents—It is a matter of duty, and if we perform that 
duty, it will be a matter of peace, joy, and heavenly 
blessing." 
—Dr. Sprecher, of San Francisco, in a recent sermon 
on " Eternal Punishment," said: " Philosophically, we 
can see nothing in death to change character. In the 
absence of a revelation to the contrary, we must con-
clude that men must go on sinning after death as be-
fore." The thought just occurs to us that we would 
like to have the Doctor give his opinion of Rev. 5 :13: 
There is " a revelation ' to the effect that a time will 
come when sin will not be known in God's universe. 
Sin is the transgression of the law, and God will not 
perpetuate rebellion. God did not create sin; and 
when the " times of restitution of all things" come, 
sin will be left out, as a natural consequence. 
Religious Notes. 
The Episcopal Register says: "To get men for 
the ministry of the city churches, combining piety, ed-
ucation, ability, and social refinement, in sufficient 
numbers to supply the. demand, is becoming an increas-
ing difficulty. Piety, education, and ability are in de-
mand for the country churches. Yet the men are not 
forth coming." 
The strife has so culminated between the High and 
Low church parties in the Episcopal Church of the 
Evangelist, Philadelphia, that the Low church mem-
bers are going to bring the matter before the courts on 
the ground that they have been defrauded of their 
place of worship by the ritualists. Several policemen 
were present at a recent service where trouble was ex-
pected. 
—The Presbyterians of the Pacific Coast have re-
solved to establish a college which, " while it is unsec-
tarian in its spirit and purpose, shall yet be positively 
and decidedly Christian in its character." The com-
mittee in charge of the project announces the intention 
that " this shall be not a school merely, but a college 
in fact as well as name, and that it will ultimately be-
come to the Pacific Coast what Princeton College is to 
the Atlantic Coast." Proposals for eligible sites are in-
vited. 
—An exchange says: " About two years ago one na-
tive Chinaman in the village of Kokei, China, was the 
solitary follower of the Christian religion among the 
dwellers in that place. Through his influence, and that 
of the ministers, a neat little chapel has been built, 
which now has thirty church members, and over fifty 
regular attendants on worship. The native Christians 
have contributed two-thirds of what the building cost. 
They now carry on their Sunday services themselves, 
and provide for the expenses." 
—A writer in the Congregationalist affirms that in 
the Connecticut Valley and to the west, in almost 
any community, may be found "scores, and even 
hundreds of people who, a few years ago, were regular 
attendants upon church, but have now dropped the 
practice altogether." He adds further: " Many towns 
are truly sinking down into heathenism, so far as Sab-
bath worship is concerned. Men often pay well to sup-
port preaching, and are friendly to the minister, but 
never are seen in the house of God." 
—Poor and small as Egypt is, the khedive's income 
is $750,000 a year, and members of his family receive 
$600,000 more. He has magnanimously' (!) given $15,-
000 a year to be devoted to the payment of indemnity 
claims. 
—The Judson Manufacturing Company, at Oakland, 
have just mounted a pair of shears of their own make, 
which are said to be the largest in the United States. 
They weigh eighteen tons, and will. cut a bar of iron 
four and a half inches square. 
—A yacht, containing a pleasure party of forty-five 
ladies and gentlemen, was suddenly capsized in san Joa-
quin River, near Antioch, last week. Fortunately the 
entire party were rescued, and the citizens of Antioch 
came to the rescue with dry clothing. 
—A terrible explosion occurred in a coal mine at 
Ashland, Pa., last week, and several lives were lost. 
One of the pillars gave way, which caused an immense 
quantity of' coal to rush in, forcing down the gas with 
such velocity as to cause it to explode. 
—In San Francisco recently, a Chinaman was shot 
through both legs, and although amputation was deemed 
necessary to save his life, his friends would not permit 
the operation. Chinese surgeons are trying their skill 
with bandages without any hope of success. 
—May 1, the reduction in the tobacco tax went into 
effect, which will make cigars from $3.00 to $6.00 per 
1,000 cheaper than heretofore, and cigarettes in propor-
tion. Of course all the smokers will rejoice. but how 
about the revenue argument as an excuse for the use of 
the weed ? 
The arrest of nihilists continues in -Russia. Eight 
officers have been arrested in St. Petersburg, and six-
teen in Smolensk. It is said that an extensive military 
conspiracy has been discovered; that although the cor-
onation will be permitted to proceed unmolested, des-
perate doings may be expected soon afterward. 
—It is reported that a Turkish official recently re-
fused transmission through the mails of an American 
hymn-book on account of its containing the well-known 
hymn, " Hold the Fort !" which he declared to be 
revolutionary. So far as his Government is concerned, 
his suspicions are not wholly without foundation. 
—Fred Douglass heads a movement for a convention 
of colored citizens in Washington next fall, to urge 
the matter of more appointments of men of that race 
to positions in the various departments of the Govern-
ment service. Secretary Folger says they have already 
more thon a pro rata of the places in his department. 
Great suffering is resulting from the effects of the 
recent cyclone in Mississippi, and several societies are 
receiving and bestowing aid. The track of the terrible 
storm is 300 miles long and from one to two miles wide, 
in which everything was demolished. About fifty-
deaths are reported, and very many wounded and des-
titute. 
—A New York dispatch of the 29th ult. says: "The 
Central Labor Union discussed the relation of the labor 
question to the revolutionary movement of Europe, and 
the general sentiment favored the use of dynamite. 
The argument was that kings and potentates used 
every engine of destruction in their wars, and particu-
larly against the people when revolutionary outbursts 
take place." 
—In West Oakland, April 30, the engines of the 
local passenger train and a freight train from Sacra-
mento collided at the intersection of Cedar and Seventh. 
Streets. Both engines were badly damaged. . The pas-
sengers had an exciting shake-up, but no one was seri-
ously injured. The accident was occasioned by the 
failure of the man, whose duty it was, to give the 
proper signals. 
Obititar. 
News and Notes. 
"Pilgrim's Progress" has been translated into 
nearly all the languages of India. 
--Bishop McNamara has recently organized the first 
Independent, or Reformed Catholic Church of Chicago. 
—Sitting Bull, with 140 other Sioux, has espoused 
the Roman Catholic faith, and is soon to be received 
into the church. 
Joseph Cook makes a strong plea for female med-
ical missionaries for India. There is no question but 
that they are needed. �
• 
—The Roman Catholics of Germany are not in favor 
of the proposal to keep the fourth centenary of Luther's 
birth as a great national festival. They strongly pro-
\ test against it, and call it "persecution." 
—Of seventy-one churches in India and Ceylon con-
nected with the American Board, there are fifty that 
receive nothing from its treasury. The proportion of 
self-supporting churches in this country will hardly ex-
ceed that. 
Joseph Cook, speaking of Christian missions in for-
eign lands, says: " We have thrown but a pebble into 
the great ocean, yet we stand back in our conceit, and, 
watching the ripples created by our pebble, imagine 
that we are reforming the world." 
By a majority of two to one the Special Committee 
of the Free Church Assembly in Scotland have decided 
that the Scriptures do not forbid the use of instrumen-
tal music in worship, and that no constitutional pro-
hibition of the chuch stands in the way. 
Dr. McLean, of the First Congregational Church, 
Oakland, presented some petitions at a recent prayer-
meeting, in favor of high license. The people showed 
their good sense by refusing to sign the petitions, saying 
that they were not in favor of a liquor monopoly. 
—The S. F. Jewish Times notes as proof -that the 
Lord watches over his own, the following item: There 
were about forty persons of Jewish extraction in Beau-
regard (Miss.) during the cyclone. All of them were 
picked out of the debris, but not one was seriously in-
jured." 
At the California State Sunday-school Convention, 
which was held at Los Angeles last month, a resolution 
was passed deprecating the repeal of the Sunday Law, 
and praying and beseeching all persons, and the press, 
both secular and religious, to work and labor for its re-
enactment. 
—Dr. Pentecost (Congregationalist), of Brooklyn, N. 
Y., received a hundred members by profession last 
year, fifty of whom he immersed. He prefers immer-
sion, and commonly practices it, yet he thinks sprink-
ling is also baptism. He does not, however, believe in 
infant baptism. 
Dr. T. L. Cuyler recently celebrated the twenty-
third anniversary of his pastorate in Brooklyn, and the 
thirty-seventh of his ministry. Among other things, he 
said that most of all he thanked God that he was a 
minister, for no throne was ever built that came within 
ten leagues of a pulpit for the preaching of Christ. 
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, 
Michigan. 
MRS. ELIZA PALMER, Sec. N. E. Tract 
Society, South Lancaster, Mass. 
ELD. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, RAVENS- 
wood, Shirley Road, Southamp-
ton, England. 
MRS. C. L. ,BOYD, Salem, Oregon. 
216 �
11111-1, SIGNS OF TI-I �
TINES. �VoL. 9, No. 18. 
had not manliness enough to sign his name to his letter, 
ridiculed our position, assumed wondrous knowledge of 
the law, and intimated that the most desirable qualifi 
cation for an editor was ignorance of the subject under 
discussion. We exposed the folly of his assumptions at 
the time, and in corroboration of our position copy the 
following from the Chronicle's report of a case in Oak-
land:— 
" It being urged that the circumstance had some-
what unsettled his brain and that he was drunk when 
he took the purse, the Court discharged him, holding 
that the money was not taken with criminal intent." 
Can a man in a drunken frenzy be said to have any in-
tention at all ? Has he any power of self-control left 
to him ? If not, can he legally be convicted of crim-
inal intention ? It is well-known to every one conver-
sant with Court matters that this plea is often urged, 
and often to good effect before both judges and juries. 
Perhaps a desirable quality in some half-fledged law-
yers is to be ignorant of current events. 
OAKLAND, CAL., FIFTH-DAY, MAY 10, 1883. 
 
Time of Camp-Meetings. 
 
KANSAS, • 
PENNSYLVANIA, Olean, N. Y., 
UPPER COLUMBIA, Milton, Or., 
IOWA, 
WISCONSIN, Portage, 
NORTH PACIFIC, Beaverton, 
MINNESOTA, 
DAKOTA, 
TEXAS, Waxahachie, 
VIRGINIA, 
OHIO, Galion, Crawford Co., 
MASSACHUSETTS, 
VERMONT, 
MAINE, 
ILLINOIS, 
NEBRASKA, 
May 17-22 
May 31 to June 5 
June 6-12 
June 7-12 
" 14-19 
" 14-20 
" 21-26 
June 27 to July 2 
July 13-23 
Aug. 2-7 
" 15-21 
" 23-28 
Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 
Sept. 6-11 
" 11-18 
" 19-25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Various Matters. 
THE unusual amount of matter under the Missionary 
head has crowded out some other matter prepared for 
this paper. 
FROM Nebraska we are receiving very encouraging 
accounts of the progress of the work. They are push-
ing the missionary work in that State. 
ELD. VAN HORN writes us that they are settled in 
Jackson, Mich., where he expects to pitch a tent soon. 
They are all contented, pleased with the climate, and 
happy to dwell in their old home-land. We wish them 
prosperity. 
HEAVY rains fell in California May 3-6. It is com-
mon to have a little rain early in May, but quite un-
common to have so much as has fallen during the past 
week. It has injured hay a little, but benefited other 
crops much more. 
DOCTOR CRARY, of the California Christian Advo-
cate, in noticing our call on him, says: " We forgot to tell 
him that we had called at his office, but failed to see 
him." We much regret the failure. We hope he will 
call when we are at home. He will receive a most 
hearty welcome. 
BRO. N. C. MCCLURE reports that six heads of fam-
ilies have commenced to keep the Sabbath where he 
has been laboring in Humboldt County. Others are 
expected-to take their stand soon. 
ELDER BALLOU organized a Sabbath-school of ten 
members in Vallejo, last week. 
A METHODIST minister in Humboldt County, in 
speaking of the work of Seventh-day Adventists in that 
county, said that if it was not stopped pretty soon he 
would " expose the whole thing." Good ! If he will 
only do that we will be well pleased. A thorough ex-
position of the prophecies and the Sabbath is what we 
are laboring for; and the cause stands in need of good-
exposi tors. 
IN company with several others we visited St. Helena 
last week, after the meetings at Healdsburg. The trip 
across the country was a pleasant one, and our visit to 
the Health Retreat at Crystal Springs was equally 
pleasant. Both patients and boarders are arriving at 
the Retreat, and it is tale intention to immediately add 
some cottages to their already fine facilities for the ac-
commodation of their guests. It is a place of almost 
unequaled beauty. On Wednesday evening we enjoyed 
an excellent prayer and social meeting with the St. 
Helena church: 
ELDER HASKELL and the Editor went to Petaluma 
last sixth-day, where we found Elder Healey, who had 
been called to attend a funeral. This, and the very wet 
weather, prevented a meeting with the church on Sab-
bath. On Sunday we had a good meeting, both Elder 
Haskell and ourself speaking, followed by earnest and 
feeling testimonies from all. They all expressed them-
selves as being much benefited and encouraged. 
Logical ? Hardly. 
Results of Ship Missionary Work. 
LAST year an English vessel visited San Francisco, 
and the captain became somewhat interested in the 
truth of the Third Angel's Message. He attended one 
or two meetings, at the request of the ship missionary, 
and before he sailed he bought about fifteen dollars' 
worth of our publications. As the result of his inves-
tigations, he soon commenced to keep the Sabbath, and 
allowed no unnecessary work to be done on that day. 
The few extracts which we give from his letter will be 
of general interest. It was written before he had 
reached his destination :— 
" Hitherto have we been guided in safety; hitherto 
have we kept the seventh day As the Sabbath of the 
Lord our God; and hitherto have we been blessed with 
beautiful and steady winds and weather, scarcely ne-
cessitating the ordinary trimming of sails on the seventh 
and first days of the week. Even my officers remarked 
it with me, as if God had taken notice of us and was 
pleased with us. The sailors and the young men seem 
impressed with the sacredness of the day." 
"My next crew will be apprised before engaging, of 
the keeping of the Sabbath. I am very much pleased 
and benefited by the works I received, and have allowed 
the crew to peruse them." " I would be exceedingly 
thankful were you making me a speciality in your 
prayers before God." " I wonder how many ships there 
are afloat that keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy to God. 
I may have some difficulty in Liverpool, but I must do 
the best I can. I will write you of my next destina-
tion." 
Let no one think that the ship mission is a side issue. 
If all the labor expended had borne no other fruit, it 
would nct have been in vain. But this is only one; 
other similar instances are known, and many will never 
be known till the Jt.dgment. And the seed sown 
multiplies. As this vessel with its Sabbath-keeping 
crew visits different parts of the world, leaving tracts 
and papers at every place, who can estimate the good 
that may be done ? 
The value of the ship mission has not been realized 
as it should be, and the work has sometime-s been al-
lowed to suffer for lack of means. The men who are 
engaged in it are devoted men who have had experience 
in the work, and God is blessing their labors. Shall we 
not aid them by our prayers and our means ? 
ppainfineititi, 
Meeting at Los Angeles. 
Upper Columbia Camp-Meeting. 
North Pacific Camp-Meeting. 
THE next annual meeting of the North Pacific Con-
ference will be held in connection with the camp-
meeting at Beaverton, Or., June 14-20. The first ses-
sion will be held the morning of the 21st. Every dele-
gate, with proper credentials, should be on the ground 
Wednesday, as matters of vital interest to every lover 
of the cause will be considered in the first meetings. 
Blanks and yearly church reports will be sent to each 
church clerk, which should be filled out and returned 
to Eld. Chas. L. Boyd, Salem, Oregon. 
COnFERENCE COMMITTEE. 
THE next annual meeting of the North Pacific Sab-
bath-school Association will be held at Beaverton, Or., 
June 14-20. Let every Sabbath-school elect its dele-
gates in, due time. Instructive essays from Sabbath-
school workers may be expected. 
CHAS. L. BOYD, Pres. 
EARLY WRITINGS OF MRS. WHITE. 
Comprising " Experience and Views" and " Spiritual GiftS Volume 
One," bound in one volume. This makes a neat and attractive book of 
nearly 200 pages, and should be read by old and young. The matter and 
the style in which it is presented are so interesting that no one who has 
read one chapter will forego the pleasure and profit of reading the remain-
der. Price, 75 cents. • 
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
THE SIGNS OF THE 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE 
Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists., 
A twelve-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the 
Prophecies, Signs of the Tinie, Second Coming of Christ, Harmony of the 
Law and Gospel, with Departments devoted to Temperance, The Home 
"Circle, the Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school. 
�
Price Per Year, �
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- �
- �
------ �
$2.00 
In Clubs of five or more copies to one address, to be used in Mis- 
�
sionary Work, �
- �
- �
- �
- �
-- �
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1.50 
Address, �SIGNS OF THE TIDIES, Oakland, Cal. 
-OR- 
S. E. WHITEIS, Sec. Nebraska T. & M. Society, Fremont, Neb, 
Advantages of Drinking.. 
SOME weeks since we noted a horrible crime com-
mitted by a man while drunk, and remarked that in a 
legal point of view no crime was committed, as the man 
was too drunk to be responsible for the action, and the 
man who made him drunk had a Government license to 
do that kind of business. Somebody in Oakland, who 
THE Christian Herald, a paper which dispenses the 
truth to the inhabitants of Oregon, in the course of an 
editorial on the immortality of the soul, says:— 
" We -mean by immortal principle the never dying 
principle of man called the soul or spirit. That prin-
ciple which cannot be killed. In Matt. 10 :28, Jesus 
says to his disciples, And fear not them which kill 
the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather 
fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in 
hell.' This shows, . . . (2) That the body can be 
killed, but no man can kill the soul. We can kill that 
which is mortal. The body is mortal as admitted by 
all; therefore it can be killed, or it may and does die a 
natural death. But we cannot kill that which is im-
mortal or ever living. Jesus says we cannot kill the 
soul; therefore it is immortal, or never dying." 
It needs no argument to show the fallacy of such 
reasoning. But we are a little surprised at the editor's 
assurance. He frankly admits that " we " cannot kill 
the soul; and it may not be too much for him to claim 
that what " we " cannot do, cannot be done by human 
power; but we really think he ought not to say that 
because " man cannot kill the soul" therefore it can-
not be killed at all, or that God cannot do it. At any 
rate he ought not to have made such an assertion so 
soon after quoting the words of our Saviour in Matt. 
10 : 28. 
THERE will be a general meeting held at Los An-
geles, in the S. D. A. meeting-house, commencing Friday 
evening, May 18; meetings will continue till the fol-
lowing Monday. At this meeting we hope to see the 
friends throughout the southern field, and as many 
others as can come. It is expected that Sister White 
will atteild. Those living in San Diego, Ventura, and 
Bernardino Counties, are especially invited. 
S. N. HASKELL. 
THIS meeting will be held in Milton, Oregon, com-
mencing June 6, and continuing to June 12. The Up-
per Columbia Conference and the other organizationss 
will hold their annual meeting in connection with this 
Camp-meeting. Delegates should be elected, and all 
necessary reports be made out in good season. Eld. 
Haskell of the General Conference, and Eld. Boyd of 
the North Pacific Conference will attend. We, urge all 
the friends of the cause in Upper Columbia to come to 
this important meeting. �G. W. COLCORD, 
AMBROSE JOHNSON, 
T. L. RAGSDA LE, 
Committee. 
IT is decided to hold our camp-meeting at Beaverton, 
Oregon, June 14-20. The grognds are directly on the 
railroad, twelve miles west of Portland; by wagon road 
seven miles; There will be a book-stand with all our 
publications for sale. To save expense, the secretaries 
should be prepared to replenish their libraries at this 
time. There will also be a stand from which such pro-
visions can be obtained as will be needed on the ground. 
Directions for coming by railroad, connections at Port- • 
land, and a, reduction of fare, which we expect to ob-
tain, will be noticed in the SIGNS in another issue. An 
extra large tent will be pitched, a part of which can be 
used for a home by those destitute of small tents. 
CHAS. L. BOYD, 
T. H. STARBUCK, 
WM. L. RAYMOND, 
Camp-meeting Committee. 
THE next annual meeting of the North Pacific Tract 
and Missionary Society will be held at Beaverton, Or., 
June 14-20. The first meeting to be held Thursday 
morning at an early hour. All interested in the spread 
of the present truth should be on the ground at this time, 
as Elder Haskell, President of the International Tract 
and Missionary Society, will give an address at the first 
meeting which none can afford to lose. 
CHAS. L. BOYD, Pres. 
,*ign5 of fiy