" Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22 :12. 
VOLUME 9. 
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, FIFTH—DAY, AUGUST 2, 1883. 
NUMBER 29. 
*ign5 of the Eime5. 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, FOR THE 
S. D. A. MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
(For Terms, etc., See Last Page.) 
Entered at the Post-Office in Oakland, CaL 
THE DOOR OF TILE LIPS. 
" Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth : keep the door of 
my lips." Ps. 141. 
SAY not the thing ye mean not. Words are knives 
That cut deep gashes in our little lives ; 
Gashes that reach deep down within the heart, 
And all our lives leave some unhealed smart. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. Words will live 
To mock your grief when you perchance would give 
Your very life to take away the pain 
That you have made ; alas, 'twill then be vain. 
Ah, many a word that was in passion said 
Has left a wound that secretly has bled, 
Till love has come to be a trickling stream, 
And earthly joy like some past happy dream. 
Yea, all that brightens life has fled away, 
Leaving but work, the dreary livelong day. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. There be few 
Whose life within and life without are true. 
Yet b ye true, yea, thong). ye suffer wrong, 
If true, then real, and being real, strong ; 
And being strong some little word ye speak 
May help some struggling brother who is weak. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. Sure our life 
Is not for meanness, pettiness, or strife ; 
Souls who have destinies so great and 
Must not defame their immortality. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. Every word 
That wrought a pang of anguish, or that stirred 
With secret sorrow any human soul, 
Will bound back on thyself, like waves that roll 
Themselves upon the shore, they leap again 
To the deep bosom or the watery main. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. Harsh and chill 
Is this cold world ; why let thy words work ill ? 
Rather wipe eyes that weep, cheer those who mourn, 
And whisper comfort into hearts forlorn. 
Impute not wrong, lest thou shouldst add to strife, 
Or mar with bitterness some noble life. 
Say not the thing ye mean not. Death is nigh ; 
Thou knowest not but soon that one may lie 
In the cold grave, whose ears so sadly heard 
The harsh, unfeeling, bitter, unkind word. 
—S. Trevor Francis. 
eneral gtrtirle5, 
Papal Plots Against Luther. 
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. 
As LUTHER exalted the word of God, and de-
posed the human power and authority that had 
usurped its place, the cry was raised by his ene-
mies that he preached novelties, and that it could 
not be possible that great and learned men.had 
been in so grave error. To this he answered: 
, " These are not novelties that I preach. But I 
"4.. affirm that the doctrines of Christianity have 
been lost sight of by those whose special duty it 
was to preserve them; by the learned, by the bish-
ops. I doubt not, indeed, that the truth has still 
found an abode in some few hearts, were it only 
with infants in the cradle. Poor husbandmen and 
simple children, in these days, understand more 
of Jesus Christ than the pope, the bishops, or the 
doctors." 
Luther went steadily forward, rejoicing in his 
freedom from the shackles of Rome. He spoke 
and wrote as God moved him, not only confirming 
all that he had hitherto said, but still more decid-
edly protesting against the errors and abomina-
tions of popery. Every word was a living spark, 
burning away the accumulated rubbish of ages. 
Rome was not idle. Her emissaries hastened 
to Germany to congratulate the new emperor, 
Charles the Fifth, and by their flatteries, false 
representations, and protests, influenced him to 
employ his power against the Reformation. The 
emperor gave his consent to the public burning of 
Luther's writings, beyond the limits of the Ger-
man. States. 
The pope's ambassadors were warned that such 
a step would inflame the wound rather than heal 
it; that the doctrine of Luther was deeply en- 
graved where it could not be obliterated, in the 
hearts of the German people; and that a few 
fagots consuming a few sheets of paper would be 
of little avail, while it would ill befit the dignity 
of the emperor. But these scheming Romans 
were aiming not merely at the productions of 
Luther's pen, but at Luther himself. " These 
fires," said they " are not sufficient. to purify the 
the pestilential atmosphere of Germany. Though 
they may strike terror into the simple-minded, 
they leave the author of the mischief unpunished. 
We must have an imperial edict sentencing 
Luther to death." 
But they found it no easy matter to accomplish 
this object. The emperor was not prepared to 
take this step without the advice of his counsel- 
ors. "Let us first ascertain," he responded, " what 
our father, the Elector of Saxony, thinks of the 
matter. We shall then be prepared to give our 
answer to the pope." And the papal delegates 
were obliged to confer with the good elector. 
Here flatteries, arguments, and threats alike 
failed. To their demand that he destroy Luther's 
writings; and punish the Reformer as he deserved, 
or deliver him to the papal power, the elector 
replied that the matter was one of too great im- 
portance to be decided hastily, and that his deter-
mination in regard to it should be duly commu-
nicated to them. 
May God help the elector now; for his position 
is one of great difficulty. He is partially con- 
vinced of the truth; but in his circumstances and 
surroundings a strong pressure is brought to bear 
against it. On the one side are the emperor, the 
princes of the empire, and above all the pope, 
whose power the elector was not yet ready to shake 
off; on the other side stands a poor monk, Martin 
Luther; for it is against this one man that all this 
assault is directed. 
For a time it seemed that Satan was about to 
triumph. But God gave wisdom to Luther's de- 
fender; his courage, that had seemed to waver, 
again grew strong. He was filled with horror at 
the thought of delivering up to torture and death 
a man whom he believed to have been raised up 
of God to accomplish a great work. He saw that 
justice should be regarded above the desires of 
the pope, and he determined to act upon this 
principle. 
The elector now gave the papal ambassadors to 
understand, " that neither his imperial Majesty 
nor any one else had yet made it appear to him 
that Luther's writings had been refuted, or dem-
onstrated to be fit only for the flames; that he 
demanded, therefore, that Doctor Luther be fur-
nished with a safe-conduct, and permitted to 
answer for himself before a tribunal composed of 
learned, pious, and impartial judges." 
This was far from 'what the ambassadors de-
sired. Every such opportunity granted to Luther 
had resulted in the weakening of the papal 
power and the strengthening and spread of the 
Reformation. To bring their arguments in con- 
trast with the doctrines of Luther, which they 
knew they could not controvert, would prove a 
losing game to them. Justice and truth were 
principles which bad no place in their system of 
faith or practice. The arguments which they 
could use with greatest effect against all oppo- 
nents were fire and sword. They had expected 
the elector to yield to their demands, and with-
out delay surrender the obnoxious monk. But 
Satan's • power was circumscribed, and the cruel 
plots of Rome were frustrated by Him who is the 
eternal guardian of truth and justice. 
Tidings of all that, had transpired reached 
Wittenberg, and the friends of Luther were tilled 
with joy. The Reformer pressed forward in his 
labors with fresh zeal. " His words awoke new 
hope and courage in the hearts of the fearful and 
desponding. Luther stayed his soul upon God. 
His language was, " We see not the hand that is 
guiding us; we cannot, like Israel of old, look 
upon the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, and 
we hear not the voice that spoke to them from 
the mount. But if we wait upon the Lord, we 
shall be satisfied that the great Shepherd of 
Israel has been leading us all the way in the past, 
and that the path where he leads will be safe for 
all who follow him, even in the stormy days of 
trial and conflict." The first assembly of the 
German States after the accession of Charles the 
Fifth to the empire, gathered at Worms on the 
6th of January, 1521.' Never before had so many 
princes attended this national council. All were 
eager to take a part in the first acts of the young 
emperor's government, and all were ambitious to 
display their power and grandeur. There were 
important political questions and interests to be 
considered by this grand assembly, but all these 
appeared of little moment when contrasted with 
the cause of the monk of Wittenberg. 
The emperor Charles was placed in a position 
of great perplexity and embarrassment. On the 
one hand was the papal legate, urging him to 
execute the pope's hull; on the other was the 
elector of Saxony, to whom he was in great de-
gree indebted for his crown, and who entreated 
him to take no step against Luther until he 
should have granted him a hearing. 
Charles had written to the elector to bring 
Luther with him to the diet, assuring him that 
the Reformer should be subjected to no injustice, 
that he should be protected from all violence, and 
should be allowed a free conference with one 
competent to discuss the disputed points. 
Upon receiving this letter, the elector was not 
a little perplexed. Should he take the Reformer 
to Worms, he might be leading him to the scaffold. 
The friends of Luther were anxious and troubled; 
but he himself was calm. His health was at this 
time much impaired, yet he seemed anxious to . 
appear before the emperor. He wrote to the 
elector: " If I cannot perform the journey to 
Worms as a man in good health, I will be carried, 
thither on a litter. For, since the emperor has 
summoned me, I can regard it only as the cause 
of God. If they intend to use violence against 
me, as- they probably do, for assuredly it is with 
no view of gaining information that they require 
me to appear before them, I commit the matter 
in the hands of God. He still lives and reigns 
who preserved the three Israelites in the fiery 
furnace. if it be not his will to save me, my life ' 
is but little worth. Let us only take care that 
the gospel be not expoped to the insults of the 
ungodly, and let us shed our blood in its defense 
rather than allow them to triumph. Who shall 
say whether my life or my death would contribute 
most to the salvation of my brethren ? It is not 
for us to decide. Let us only pray God that our 
young emperor may not begin his reign by imbu- 
ing his hands in my blood. I would rather perish 
by the sword of Rome. You remember the 
judgments with which the emperor Sigismund 
was visited after the murder ot; John Huss. 
Expect anything from me but flight or recanta-
tion. Fly I cannot; still less can I recant." 
The news was quickly circulated .at Worms that 
Luther was to appear before the diet. A general 
excitement was created. Aleander, the papal 
legate to whom the care of. Luther had been 
specially intrusted, was alarmed and enraged. 
On his way to the diet, this official had had 
opportunity to learn for himself how generally 
338 �
TI-11-4, SIGNS OF THE; TIM �
VoL. 9, No. 29. 
the gospel proclaimed by Luther had been re-
ceived. He saw that it had found acceptance 
with the wealthy and learned, as well as with the 
poor and ignorant. Lawyers, nobles, the inferior 
clergy, many of the monks, and vast numbers of 
the common people, had embraced it, and received 
the Bible only as their standard of faith and 
practice. The supporters of the new faith were 
firm and fearless, while the partisans of Rome 
seemed stricken with terror. 
The pride of Aleander had been sorely 
wounded by the reception accorded him on his 
journey through Germany. So great had been 
the change in public sentiment that but little honor 
or even courtesy was shown the representative of 
Rome. He arrived at Worms in bitterness of 
spirit, both because of the insults which he him-
self had received, and because of the wide-spread 
defection from popery. 
The legate saw that Luther's appearance at 
Worms would result only in disaster to the papal 
cause. To institute inquiry into a case in which 
the pope had already pronounced sentence of 
condemnation, would be to cast contempt upon 
the authority of the sovereign pontiff. Aleander 
set himself to prevent this by every means in his 
power. 
Furthermore he was apprehensive that the 
eloquent and powerful argument of this man, who 
had already wrought so great mischief, might 
result in turning away many of the princes from 
the cause of the pope. He therefore, in the most 
urgent manner, remonstrated with Charles against 
Luther's appearance at Worms. He warned, 
entreated, and threatened, until the emperor 
yielded, and wrote to the elector that if Luther 
would not retract he must leave him behind at 
Wittenberg. The Reformer was much disap-
pointed that he was forbidden to defend the 
truth at Worms. Aleander, not content with this 
victory, labored with all the power and cunning 
at his command to secure Luther's condemnation. 
With a persistence worthy of a better cause, he 
urged the matter upon the attention of princes, 
prelates, and other members of the assembly, ac-
cusing Luther of. sedition, rebellion, impiety, and 
blasphemy. Satan's work bears the same stamp 
'from century to century. The charges against 
Christ, against Stephen, and against Paul, were 
the same as the accuser of the brethren now 
urged against Luther. But in this case his rage 
brought its own defeat. The vehemence and 
passion manifested by Meander, plainly revealed 
that he was actuated by hatred and revenge 
rather than by a zeal for religion. It was the 
prevailing sentiment of the assembly that Luther 
was innocent. �
' 
At this time the pope issued a new bull, and 
the excommunication which had before been 
threatened was decidedly pronounced against 
the Reformer and all who received his doctrines. 
Thus was broken the last tie that bound Luther 
to Rome. 
No Difference. 
" THERE is no difference between the Jew and 
the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich 
unto all that call upon him."—Rom. 10 : 12. 
This text is well illustrated by the following 
incident: A little black girl, eight years old, was 
setting the table, when a boy in the room said to 
her, " Mollie, do you pray ?" The suddenness 
of the question confused her a little, but she 
answered, " Yes, every night." " Do you think 
God hears you?" the boy asked. And she an-
swered promptly, " I know he does." " But do 
you think," said he, trying to puzzle her, that 
he hears your prayers as readily as those of white 
children ?" For full three minutes the child 
kept on with her work; then she slowly said, 
" Master George, I pray into God's ear, and not 
his eyes. My voice is just like any other little 
girl's, and, if I say what I ought to say, God does 
not stop to look at my skin."—Sel. 
THE editor of the New York Christian Advocate 
gives the following story in its columns, apropos 
to camp-meetings: Said a farmer to his wife, " I 
really thought I would go forward; but I went 
out in the woods, and found half a dozen preach-
ers smoking and telling yarns, and among them 
was the very man who preached that big sermon 
4ast night that made me feel so bad, and I've 
about made up my mind that I am not so bad 
after all."—Ex. 
The Nobleman's Offer. 
LORD A �
was a nobleman of wealth and in- 
fluence, and as an earnest Christian he was ever 
seeking to do good, both to the poor about him 
and to the tenants on his large estates. Like 
many other faithful Christians, he was often sad-
dened and grieved to find that so few seemed im-
pressed with the calls of the gospel and the offers 
of redeeming grace. Thinking over the matter, 
he fixed upon a plan which he hoped might teach 
a lesson of faith that would not be forgotten, and 
which, at the same time, might impress the im-
portance of now accepting the gracious offers of 
salvation. Going down to his large estates, he 
bad the following notice posted up in various 
places, where all his tenants could see it. It fixed 
on a date some ten or twelve days in advance, 
and read as follows:— 
" NOTICE ! • 
" Mr. A �
will be present, with his steward, 
at his office in the village, between the hours of 
nine and twelve, on Tuesday after next, and will 
then and there freely pay all debts, to whomso-
ever due, of any of his tenants who have not the 
means to discharge their obligations. To avail 
themselves of this offer, the applicants must each 
give an exact statement of the amount and nature 
of his debts, and to whom they are due, and they 
must also give a full statement of their own means 
and what property they have." 
Very soon crowds were seen gathering about 
the various placards through the village and at 
the office ; and curiosity and astonishment pos-
sessed them all, every one asking, "What does 
this mean?" But to one and all the steward had 
but one and thes ame answer: "This is Mr. A �
's 
offer, and the notice speaks for itself." Any 
further explanation he declined to give. He 
merely said he was directed to put up the notice 
by Mr. A �
himself, and that it meant just what 
it said. 
The day appointed in the notice rapidly drew 
on, and the excitement among the tenants in-
creased. Some, as they read the last clause of the 
notice, seemed to think it meant that they must 
give up all they had if they would claim the 
offered benefit;.and as they were not insolvent, 
they concluded that they would not apply. Some 
looked over their accounts and made out the re-
quired statements, but thought they would wait 
and see how others might fare, intending, if the 
latter succeeded, then to present their own list of 
debts. Some, again, planned to keep back part 
of their assets•' 
 while others, influenced by argu-
ment or ridicule, gave up all thought of the mat-
ter; and still others thought the idea was so 
strange and incredible that they did not deem it 
worth a moment's notice. "But there's his own 
offer, and he'll never go back on that," said a 
neighbor. And so the discussion went on. 
At last the day came, and the crowd of tenants 
and lookers-on gathered about the office. A little 
before the appointed hour Mr. A �
stepped from 
his carriage into the office, and closed the door 
after him. Precisely at 9 o'clock a step came from 
the inner room, and the door was thrown wide 
open, so that any one could enter. Men looked 
at each other and waited, none being willing to be 
the first to go in, fearing either to confess their 
poverty and indebtedness, or to meet the ridicule 
that might follow an unsuccessful application. 
" Do you go and try, Jones," said one to, his 
neighbor. " No," said the other, " I'm not so 
poor as that." " Do you go," was said to another. 
"I guess I'll wait and see what the others do," 
was the answer. " Why don't you try it ?" said a 
fourth. " Well," said the one spoken to, there's 
plenty of time yet." And so the hours passed on, 
each waiting to see what the others would do, and 
no one going in. 
It was nearly 11 o'clock, when an old couple 
from the poor-house came up to the office. " Is it 
true," they asked, "that Mr. A �
has offered to 
pay all our debts ?" " Well—yes; but be hasn't 
paid any yet." " Has any one been in to see if 
he would do it ?" " Well—no—not yet ; we are 
thinking about it." ." Well," said the old man, "the 
offer seems plain, and, thank God, we may yet 
die free from debt; for we have some debts we 
were never able to pay." And they both started 
for the door of the office. " That's right old 
man," exclaimed one, "you go in first, and let us 
know how you fare." " Well," said another, " I 
guess he'll find himself fooled, after all." " And," 
said another, " I guess he'll go back to the poor- 
house about as he came." Such were some of the 
comments and remarks as to the old couple; but 
disregarding them all, they went forward and 
entered the office. 
Within they found Mr. A— and his steward. 
And the old man laid his statements on the table, 
saying: " There, sir, are my debts. I have no 
property, but live in .the poor-house ; but that 
matters little if I can but pay what I honestly 
owe, and so die free from debt." " But why 
should I pay your debts?" asked Mr. A �
. " I 
do not know, except that you say you will ; and 
I fully believe your promise, and rely upon your 
word." "That is enough," said Mr. A—; and 
turning to his steward he told him to fill out a 
check for the whole amount, which being done, 
he signed it, and handed it to the old man, who 
received it with the deepest thankfulness, and 
then started for the door, saying : "I must go and 
tell all those outside of your kindness, that they 
too may come as I have done." "No," said Mr. 
A �
, "you must not tell them; they must trust 
my word for themselves, as you have done." And 
so the old couple were shown into another room 
to wait till twelve, while Mr. A--, being satis-
fied that their poverty was their misfortune and 
not their fault, ordered the lease of a nice little 
place to be made out to them for life, and added 
this to the check he had given them. 
Outside the office, time wore away; some won-
dering why the old couple did not come out, and 
some concluding-that they must have failed, and 
that, after all, there was nothing in the matter. 
The hour of 12 drew near. Men looked at each 
other, but still did not go in. At last the hour 
rang out from the church clock, and with the last 
stroke from the bell the door opened, and the old 
man and his wife were seen coming out. " How 
is it? how is it? " cried the people. "Have you 
got the money ?" The old man showed them his 
check. " Good," he said, "as solid gold ; it was 
all so." And at the same moment Mr. A— came 
out; and as he went to his carriage there was a 
rush toward it, each one pressing forward with 
his statement and crying: "Here Mr. A �
, will 
you not pay my debts ? " "Here is my account." 
" Will you not look at my statement?" 
" Friends," was the reply, " it is after 12 o'clock. 
The hour is past. It is too late!" And he drove 
away. 
"Now is the accepted time ; " and "now the day 
of salvation!" "Strive to enter in at the strait 
gate ; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter 
in, and shall not be able, when once the Master 
of the house is risen up and hath shut to the 
door ! "—National Baptist. 
" OFTEN does the Christian stumble, and in his 
outward aspect all is weakness and reproach. 
But what matters it ?—beneath that infirmity and 
foolishness of his, a power lies hid which the 
world cannot know, and which yet must overcome 
the world; for Christ abideth in him. I have 
sometimes seen Christians halting in their walk, 
and ready to fall, but when the hour came that 
they must wrestle with the enemy, or plead their 
Master's cause before the world, Christ on a 
sudden stirred within them, and so strong and 
valiant did they become, that Satan was dismayed 
and fled from their presence."—Luther. 
IF God has given a commandment to one of his 
children, that child has nothing to do but to go 
ahead and obey the commandment. All ques-
tions about the ability to do, or the difficulties in 
the way of doing, the child of God can leave to 
God. When you know what your duty is, you 
know just what you must do. The command-
ment to do, brings with it an assurance of power 
in doing.—H. Clay Trumbull. 
OUR trust should be like the sun, ever shining 
calm and steady, unmindful of the clouds, the rain, 
the light, the shadows beneath it. Our trust 
should be like Job's in the midst of all his af-
flictions—" I know that my Redeemer liveth; " 
"though he slay me, yet will I trust him." Or 
like David's—"the Lord is my rock, my fortress, 
and my deliverer." 
WE would laugh at a man who should suppose 
his field of grain to be cut simply because he had 
whetted his scythe. No less absurd is it for a 
man to think that he can do his whole duty by 
merely praying, 
imam 
AUGUST 2, 1883. �THE SIGNS OF TIT �
E TIM 1-i,S. 
339 
,) 
A National Fast. 
BY ELD. A. S. HUTCHINS. 
Church and State. 
BY ELD. R. F. COTTRELL. 
THE connection of the church with earthly gov-
ernments is the great sin of Babylon. The church 
is espoused to Christ, who is her head. 2 Cor. 
11: 2. She becomes a harlot by seeking the friend-
ship of the world and patronage from the State. 
Says an apostle: " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, 
know ye not that the friendship of the world is 
enmity with God ? " Jas. 4: 4. And of Babylon 
it is said, " The kings of the earth have committed 
fornication with her." See Rev. 17: 2;:18: 3. 
The evils of a union of church and State, as 
developed in past history, were seen, in a measure, 
by the four ders of our American Government; 
and Congress was prohibited by constitutional 
law from legislating for an established religion, or 
from prohibiting any in the free exercise of their 
religious rights. But the time has come when 
it is openly demanded that such an amendment 
of the constitution shall be secured as shall "place 
all Christian laws, institutions, and usages, in our 
Government, on an undeniable legal basis in the 
fundamental law of the nation." 
The church is symbolized by a woman. This 
woman is "contrary " to other women, in that she 
hires her lovers and gives a reward, and no re-
ward is given to her. Eze. 16: 30-34. The re-
ward she offers to the corrupt politicians of our 
degenerate times, is the honors, emoluments, and 
spoils of office. If the rulers of the State will leg-
islate in behalf of the church and promote her 
schemes, the chfirch will sustain these rulers in 
preference to all others. These are the terms of 
the contract through which she forsakes the Lord 
and forfeits his protection, preferring the protec-
tion of the State. Thus she commits abomination 
" with the kings of the earth." 
For some years past the American church has 
been whispering her love in gentle words like 
these: " I infer, therefore, that the civil magis-
trate may not be called upon to enforce the ob-
servance of tbe Sabbath, as required in the spirit-
ual kingdom of Christ; but when Christianity be-
comes the moral and spiritual life of the State, 
the State is bound through her magistrates to 
prevent the open violation of the Christian Sab-
bath, as a measure of self-preservation. She can-
not, without injuring her own vitality, be recre-
ant to her duty in this matter."—.Dr. Durbin. 
" The principle that Christianity is recognized 
by the State as something which essentially be-
longs to it, gives us, we think, the true and sim-
ple basis upon which the laws relating to the ob-
servance of the Sabbath are to be enforced. The 
law throws its protection round the sacredness 
and quiet of the first day of the week, not because 
it recognizes it as a sacred day in itself consid-
ered, but for other reasons."—E. Y. Evangelist, 
1854. 
" The United States is founded on the princi-
ple of the sanctity of the Sabbath, and if its ob-
servances are disregarded, the nation is doomed 
to early destruction."—Rev. J. W. Erdman. 
" Unless the sacredness of the day is respected, 
the liberties of the American people will not en-
dure."—Rev. Mr. Hickey. 
The above are samples of the approaches of the 
church; but now she puts the question squarely, 
offering the bribe of power and gain to those'who 
will be corrupt enough to break down the barriers 
which the wisdom of our fathers, under God, 
reared for the protection of religious liberty, and 
legislate in favor of the " laws, institutions, and 
usages," of a corrupt church, especially such as 
have no foundation in Scripture, and consequently 
cannot be sustained by any argument so logical 
as that of force. 
The Bible Like an Old Fiddle. 
BY ELD. G. C. TENNEY. 
" You can play any tune on it you want to." 
The Bible is often scoffed at under the above ex-
pression. While we would reject any vulgarity 
the comparison may intend, still it is true there 
are some points of similarity. A violin improves 
with age. Those of great age are of great value. 
So with the Bible, the most ancient and precious 
of all books. 
It is true that an infinite variety of tones and 
melodies may be produced upon the violin; but 
that depends entirely upon the skill of the one 
who manipulates the strings. Left to themselves, 
the bow can produce from the strings but a single 
tone. And a tune played by the bow alone would 
be an exceedingly simple one. But by changing 
the length of the strings, with the fingers, the 
operator may change the sounds at pleasure. 
Thus with the Bible. It is only by human manip • 
ulations that the teachings of the Bible arc 
made to suit every theological tune, in the land. 
The simplicity of the Bible has been complica-
ted by designing men. But let hands be taken off 
Study the word of God as it reads and the will of 
its author stands clearly revealed in harmonious 
and simple truths which need not be mistaken. 
The Tendency of Scientific Inquiry. 
SIR HENRY BARKLY, G. C. M. G., F. R. S., took 
the chair at the annual meeting of the Victoria 
(Philosophical) Institute, at 7, Adelphi Terrace, 
London, in the last week in June. The Honor-
ary Secretary, Capt. F. Petrie, F. R. S. L., read 
the report, by which it appeared that the Insti-
tute—founded to investigate all questions of phi-
losophy and science, and more especially any al-
leged to militate against the truth of Revelation 
—had now risen to 1,020 members, of whom 
about one-third were foreign, colonial, and 
American, and new applications to . join were 
constantly coming in. An increasing number of 
leading men of science had joined its ranks, and 
men of science, whether in its ranks or not, co-
operated in its work. During the session a care-
ful analysis had been undertaken by Professor 
Stokes, F. R. S., Sir J. R. Bennett, Vice-Pres. 
R. S., Professor Beale, F. R. S., and others, of the 
various theories of evolution, and it was reported 
that, as yet, no scientific evidence had been met 
with giving countenance to the theory that man 
had been evolved from a lower order in animals; 
and Professor Virchow had declared that there 
was a complete absence of any fossil type of a 
lower stage in the development of man; and that 
any positive advance in the province of prehis-
toric anthropology has actually removed us 
further from proofs of such connection,—namely, 
with the rest of the animal kingdom. In this, 
Professor Barrande, the great paleontologist, 
had concurred, declaring that in none of his 
investigations had he found any one fossil 
species develop into another. In fact, it would 
seem that no scientific man had yet discovered a 
link between man and the ape, between fish and 
frog, or between the vertebrate and the inverte-
brate animals; further, there was no evidence of 
any one species, fossil or other, losing its peculiar 
characteristics to acquire new ones belonging to 
other species; for instance, however similar the dog 
to the wolf, there was no connecting link, and 
among extinct species the same was the case; 
there was no gradual passage from one to another. 
Moreover, the first animals that existed on the 
earth were by no means to be considered as inferior 
or degraded. Among other i nvestigations, one into 
the truth of the argument from design in nature 
had beencarried on, and had hitherto tended to fully 
confirm that doctrine. The question of the Assyrian 
inscriptions and the recent Babylonian researches 
had. been under the leadership of Mr. Hormuzd 
Rassam, who, on his arrival from Nineveh, had 
given a full report of the extent of his new ex-
cavations, which were of the highest interest. 
His discovery of Sepharvaim, one of the first 
cities mentioned in Holy Writ, was most impor-
tant. Professor Delitsch and others aided in the 
consideration of the discoveries and the inscrip-
tions found. Two meetings had been held to con-
sider the questions raised in Mr. Herbert Spencer's 
Philosophy, and Lord O'Neill, and others, had 
shown, by a careful analysis of his arguments, 
that a greater attention to accuracy in statement 
would have kept Mr. Spencer from arriving at 
those hasty conclusions which had made his phi- 
losophy remarkable. It was announced that the 
results of explorations now being carried on in 
Egypt would be laid before the Institute early in 
the winter. The discoveries were very impor-
tant, especially that of the site of Succoth, which, 
like the results of the survey of Palestine, was 
confirmatory of the Sacred Record. 
THEY were sitting together in the horse-car. 
" I do hate people that are forever talking about' 
their neighbors," said the woman with the peaked 
hat. " So do I," coincided her companion in the 
cashmere shawl. " There's Mis' Green," continued 
Peaked Hat, " continually a-carryin' things back 
and forth. Think she'd better look to home. 
Goodness knows she and her husband live a reg-
ular cat and-dog life." " Yes, indeed, " said Cash-
mere, " and her daughter Sarah isn't half cared for. 
I was tellin' Mis' Jones only yesterday that the 
way Mis' Green neglected that girl was a cryin' 
shame. Oh! by the way, did you hear that 
story about Tilda Smith ?" No! " What is it ?" 
exclaimed Peaked Hat, turning half around in 
her seat in her eagerness, her eyes sparkling in 
anticipation of the coming treat. But, gentle 
reader, never mind what it was. Neither you 
nor I care anything about it. We hate tattling 
as bad as Peaked Hat and Cashmere did. 
WOULD it be possible for each one of the United 
States of America to observe a day of fasting and 
humiliation upon the same day, should it please his 
Excellency the President of this commonwealth 
to issue a proclamation to this effect ? 
This question would naturally be answered in 
the affirmative, from the shores of the Atlantic to 
those of .the Pacific. And should such a proc-
lamation go forth from the head of this great 
nation, accompanied with reasons and explana-
tions for the same, commending themselves to the 
intelligence and consciences of the people so ad-
dressed, the voice of the chief magistrate of these 
United States would be respected and obeyed 
from their eastern to their most western bounda-
ries by thousands and millions who respect the 
constituted authorities of the nation. 
Now this is a proposition so self-evident that 
it would seem that an apology is almost due to 
the reader for taking his time to read the above. 
But here is the point—these United States lie 
upon a round world, partaking of its rotundity, so 
that between a given hour of any day in the State 
of Maine, and the corresponding hour of the same 
day in California, there is a difference in time of 
about four hours. 
Now suppose that in the proclamation of Pres-
ident Arthur, as above referred to, he should re-
quire or recommend that the people of each church 
parish throughout this commonwealth should 
assemble at their house of worship for religious 
devotion, at the hour of 10:30 A. M. Could this 
requisition be complied with while the good 
people of Maine would assemble some four hours 
before their brethren did in California? " Yes," 
is the response everywhere, from venerable age 
down to the school-boy. 
If this then be so, why is it that learned editors, 
venerable divines, able logicians, D. D.s, Rev.s, 
" Right Rev.s," and Most Right Rev.s," tell us 
that the same day of the week cannot be kept as 
the Sabbath the world around? Why tell the 
man who traveled from Maine to California that 
he does not, that he cannot, keep the same day in 
the latter State that he does in the former, while 
he keeps the seventh day in both places ? 
The Sabbath was made for a round world. The 
commandment for its observance was issued for a 
people upon a round world. And those who con-
tend for, and observe Sunday as the Sabbath, live 
upon the same spherical globe. We live together 
upon the same orb. . Our life record by which 
.we must be judged will be made here, and w.e 
receive the reward according to our works. 
It is not uncharitable to our first-day friends, 
to say that, in my opinion, were this globe im-
mediately to become one extended plain and 
henceforth to remain thus, that even then objec-
tions against the observance of the seventh-day 
Sabbath would be urged with all the force, and 
probably increased, that we now hear them from 
the learned because of the rotundity of the earth. 
Indeed, it might then be said in truth and per-
haps would be, The Sabbath of the decalogue was 
_ not made for the earth in its collapsed condition! 
And with a thousand times more propriety and 
truthfulness it might be added, while the revolv-
ing earth retained its spherical form, our fathers 
should have revered and hallowed the Sabbath. 
It is easy to believe the truth after the battles 
in its defense have been fought and " the offense 
of the cross ceased." It was no test of moral 
courage or of fortitude in the days of the Saviour 
for the Jews to exclaim, " We are Moses' disciples." 
And it requires as little sacrifice of feeling as re- 
;i 
�
�
spect for the truth to proclaim of Christ, " We 
know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fel-
low we know not whence he is." 
340 �
TH �
1-1] SIGNS OF THE TIM ri]S. �
VoL. 9, No. 29. 
Bible Eschatology. 
WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE ? 
THE Bible is not an argument; it is a revelation. 
It utters truths. It states facts and principles. 
It does not undertake to prove them. We may 
exercise our reasoning faculties upon its utter-
ances, and endeavor to formulate them into a ra- 
tional system; we may attempt to bring proofs of 
what it says from other sources; but whether we 
can do this or not—if we honor the Scriptures as 
the word of God—we are supposed to accept its 
plain and unequivocal declarations as a sufficient 
and ultimate authority for our belief. 
If on any point its utterances aro vague, or ap-
pear to be inconsistent with each other, or in con-
flict with other known facts, we must, indeed, ex-
ercise our reason in solving the difficulty. For it 
is evident that all truth, whether natural or su-
pernatural, must be self-consistent and harmoni-
ous; and so it will be found when cleared of hu-
man errors and misconceptions. 
But so far as its teachings are plain and ex-
plicit, and especially in regard to those truths 
that are beyond the reach of unaided reason, we 
have nothing to do but to receive them with im-
plicit faith. Surely, no human philosophy or 
scheme of doctrine, however plausible it may 
seem, is to be brought into antagonism with the 
oracles of God, or to be made a test by which to 
judge of their trustworthiness. 
Our simple inquiry should be, and shall be in 
this discussion, as to the nature and destiny of 
men, What saith the. Scripture ? not, What ought 
Scripture to say? nor, W hat, by a forced construc- 
tion, can it be made to appear to say ? But, What 
does it actually. say ? And whatever it shall be 
found clearly, unequivocally, and uniformly to 
say, on this question, as on all others, we shall 
hold to be the truth of God, and accept it as such, 
and insist on its acceptance by all who acknowl- 
edge the divine authority of the Scriptures--hu- 
man philosophy, or traditional theology, or pop-
ular sentiment to the contrary notwithstanding. 
It is not proposed to argue, in this place, the 
question of the inspiration of the Scriptures.. We 
assume it. For we address what we have to say to 
those who, with us, admit their divine authority, 
whatever theory of inspiration they may have 
adopted. Nor is it a question of this or that trans- 
lation or revision that especially concerns us. 
One version may express the idea of the original 
text more clearly and correctly than another. 
But our main inquiry is, not how shall this word 
or that word or clause in the original be rendered 
into English, but in what sense is it to be taken 
whether translated or not. Our controversy with 
our Christian brethren does not so much turn on 
translations or renderings, as on the interpreta- 
tion of the text itself, and the sense in which it is 
to be taken. Are the Scriptures to be read and 
interpreted like other books, according to the or- 
dinary laws of language or in a sense that is un-
usual and peculiar to themselves ? Are the his- 
torical, descriptive, and didactic portions of the 
Bible—its command
s and exhortations, its threat-
enings and promises--to be understood as mean- 
ing what they seem to mean, according to the or- 
dinary use of language; what they actually say, 
or in some ideal and mystical sense ? Are its par- 
ables and poetic figures—for it abounds in such 
—to be explained in harmony with its didactic 
and sober utterances, pr in a way to contradict 
them and to reverse their meaning ? In short, 
how are we to receive the word of God ? Was it 
intended for the instruction and edification of the 
common people, or only for the diversion of spec-
ulating theorists, and poets, and philosophers ? 
Was it meant that the masses should read and be-
lieve what it says, or was it given only to delude, 
bewilder, and mislead them ? 
Here, then, is our real difficulty in discussing 
this question. We complain--and with reason, 
we think—of the manner in which the word of 
God has been treated by its professed friends. 
Philosophers have brought their speculations; 
metaphysicians their ideal theories; poets their 
fancies; and theological partisans, of every name, 
their multiform hobbies to this sacred book, and 
have sought to find support for their various no-
tions in its teachings. They have read, or tried 
to read, their own ideas into its language, and 
have twisted its words to suit their purpose. The 
result has been to divide the Christian world into 
a great variety of parties, each differing from the 
others in almost every possible way, and yet all 
appealing to the Scriptures in confirmation of tion only of those who are in Christ, it would 
their own peculiar doctrines. And unbelievers seem that these adherents of Plato must give up 
have had great occasion to say that the Bible is either their philosophy, or their Bible, which so 
a very uncertain guide; it can be made, like the flatly contradicts their philosophy; but they have 
oracles of the heathen, to say nothing, or any- shown themselves equal to the exigency, by 
thing, or everything that men may wish. �changing the meaning of all these crucial terms. 
This is especially true as regards the question They have given to them a new meaning, which 
now before us. That Grecian system of philoso- is peculiar to the Scriptures. They attempt to 
phy, usually accredited to Plato as its chief ex- justify and sanctify this new sense, by calling it 
pounder, which claims for man an ever-living, in- the religious or theological or spiritual sense of 
destructible nature, early found its way into the these words. Now we are told, and taught to 
Christian church, and gradually corrupted and believe, and educated from infancy into the habit 
modified its teachings--as we have shown in a of thinking and believing that death, in the Bible, 
previous chapter--and finally controlled them en- when predicated of man, does not mean actual 
tirely, and was installed as the chief corner-stone death as it does when prediCated of any other liv- 
of the Christian religion. The doctrines of the ing creature. It means only the separation of 
word of God were modified to accord with this the soul from the body; or the separation of the 
system of philosophy. Indeed, the philosophy sinner from. God; or a state of sin and misery; or 
itself, so far as relates to the eternal pre-existence a kind of spiritual paralysis, in which the sinner 
of all souls, and on some other minor points, was lives on to sin and suffer forever; or, indeed, al- 
modified so as to conform to a Christian theism; most anything but just death itself, which puts an 
but the conclusion which was based on the as- end to all conscious life. So'also with the words, 
sumption of man's eternal pre-existence, namely, to perish, to be destroyed; the radical and primary 
that the nature of man is indestructible, and that meaning is taken out of them, and another mean- 
he will necessarily live forever, was insisted on �
ing, which will save their philosophy, is put into 
an axiomatic truth. The language of the Script- them. They mean the loss of well-being, and not 
ures was changed, if not in form, in the construe- of being itself; the destruction of happiness, and 
tion put upon it—which amounts to the same not of life or personality; or, indeed, anything and 
thing--so as to teach and sustain this dogma. A everything fearful, but just what they do act-
new meaning was put into all the words of Script- ually say. 
ure relating to the nature and destiny of man. So the word Up which is everywhere promised 
The people were taught to understand them, not as the peculiar portion of the redeemed, is emp-
in their ordinary and natural sense, but in a new, tied of its essential signification, and made to 
mystical, religious sense. This sort of instruc- mean purity and blessedness. It is allowed to 
tion has been perpetuated by scholastic reasoning, mean everything good and.desirable but just life 
persistent theological teaching, and ecclesiastical itself; but, assfor life, it is according to this phi-
authority, to the present time. And now through- losophy equally the attribute of all men. With 
out Christendom--with occasional protests, which the righteous, it is eternally perpetuated in joy 
are happily becoming more and more frequent and blessedness, and with the wicked, it is also 
and emphatic—the principle of interpreting the eternally perpetuated, in sin and wretchedness; 
Scriptures, not according to the laws of ordinary for, according to this philosophy, the essential 
language, but according to the behests of this principle of life, conscious, sensitive, active life, is 
heathen philosophy, is accepted and practiced as the inalienable attribute of all men alike. 
the proper thing to do. And those of us who in-
sist on treating the word of God honestly, and 
who believe that he meant what be said, when he 
threatened death and destruction as the sure and 
final end of all persistent sinners, and promised 
eternal life through Jesus Christ the Saviour and 
through him alone, are looked upon as heretics 
and disturbers of the peace of the church! 
It must be evident to every one that, if the 
language of the Bible is to be understood in its 
ordinary sense, the doctrine for which we are con- 
tending is sustained beyond all controversy. Our 
opponents have no ground to stand on. For it 
declares most explicitly, and . emphatically, and 
repOatedly, that all sinners who are not saved 
shall die; shall perish; shall be utterly destroyed; 
that the time is coming when they shall not be, 
etc., etc. And it declares, with equal emphasis 
and reiteration, that eternal life is the portion of 
the righteous; and that they and they only shall 
live forever. 
What can be more direct and positive than such 
declarations as these, which abound throughout 
the Scripture ? " The soul that sinneth it shall 
die ;" " Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth 
death ;" " The •wicked is reserved for the day of 
destruction ;" " Whose end is destruction ;" " Who 
shall be punished with everlasting destruction ;" 
" They shall be destroyed forever ;" "They shall 
utterly perish in their own corruption; " etc., etc.? 
or such texts as these: " The wages. of sin is death, 
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 
Christ our Lord; " " For God so loved the world 
that be gave his only begotten Son that whoso-
ever believeth in him should not perish, but have 
eternal life ; " " This is the record (witness) that 
God bath given to us eternal life; and this life is 
in his Son. He that bath the Son bath (the) life, 
and he that bath not the Son of God, hath not 
(the) life." 
We all know what these words, life, death, de-
struction, etc., mean in common usage, when pred-
icated of all other creatures and things. Every 
scholar knows that they have the same meaning 
in the original language. It is well known and 
acknowledged that Plato used them in their or-
dinary sense when treating of the nature and des-
tiny of man; when he declared that the soul of 
man could not die, could not perish, could not be 
destroyed, that it would naturally and necessarily 
live forever. But now that the Bible declares 
most positively that it shall die, shall perish, shall 
be destroyed, unless it be recovered from the 
power of sin, and that an endless life is the por- which is taken up front you into heaven, shall so 
Origen, and his followers, revolting at the idea 
of endless sin and suffering, carried this method of 
accommodation so far as to make the Scriptures 
predicate death and destruction, not of the indi-
vidual sinners themselves, but only of their sins; 
and hence they arrived at the comforting conclu-
sion that this better life—the eternal life which is 
promised to believers only—will eventually be the 
portion of all men. 
This practice of accommodating the language of 
the word of God to the popular philosophy of the 
day, of "spiritualizing ' its terms, has become so 
common and thoroughly established that the. 
great body of the Christian world accept it as a 
matter of course. It seems to be the proper thing 
to do, in studying the Scriptures. Hence the 
great need of commentaries, and Biblical notes 
and expositions, to tell the people what is the 
spiritual and Scriptural sense of the words they 
are reading. Hence the testimony of the word of 
God on this question, and indeed on other points, 
when opposed to the popular theology, is nullified, 
or completely reversed. As in the time of Christ: 
" It is made of none effect through tbeir tradi-
tions." The people read it with little or no con-
ception of the real nature of the doctrine it-
teaches. 
This practice of spiritualizing away the sub-
stance of God's word, is having a remarkable re-
vival in our day. Not only those doctrines that 
have their foundation in the literal interpretation 
of the terms " life" and " death " are deprived of 
their real significance and force, but all the other 
correlated doctrines ctf the gospel are spiritualized 
away in the same manner. If there be no actual 
death, there can be no actual resurrection; noth-
ing but the body perishes in death; the real man 
who had been dwelling therein from his birth is 
now released and rises at once into greater free-
dom and activity. And even this change—which 
is called a resurrection in order to make some use 
of Scripture terms—is not due to Christ, but is a 
natural process, which is common to all the chil-
dren of Adam. 
In the same way the great and glorious doc-
trine of the second coming of our Lord, upon 
which the early Christians rested all their hopes 
of any life beyond the present, is explained away. 
These early disciples were entertaining delusive 
hopes, and the apostles themselves were mistaken 
when they encouraged this expectation. Even 
the two angels did not mean what their words 
seem to mean when they said: " This same Jesus 
AUGUST 2, 1883. �Tiny, SIGNS OF THE TIM-ES. �
341 
--f 
ing besides the Sabbath-school is usually held on 
the Sabbath. This leaves quite a number of hours 
in the latter part of the day which cannot be 
more profitably employed than in the study of 
the lesson for the next Sabbath. After the older 
members of the family have prepared their les-
sons in the Instructor, it will be a pleasant change 
for them to help the younger members learn their 
lessons in the lesson-books. in this way all the 
lessons for the next Sabbath can be mastered, and 
still some time be left for reading, etc., before the 
close of the Sabbath. Those who are teachers 
will thus be prepared for the rehearsal.of the les-
son at teachers meeting. 
During the week, portions of Scripture bearing 
on the lesson may be read at, family worship; and 
especially when prayers are conducted in the 
forepart of the evening, some time can be spent 
on the lesson itself; one of the family asking 
the questions while the others give the answers. 
Ten minutes a day spent in this manner will give 
results at the close of the week quite surprising 
to those who have never tried the plan. Thus 
the lesson will be kept in mind during the week, 
and will often be the subject of thought while the 
hands are busy with the daily duties. Thoughts 
will be suggested to the mind for which a hurried 
study would give neither time nor opportunity. 
By this plan, only a brief review of the lesson 
will be required on Friday night, in order to be 
prepared for the next day's school. 
A lesson of any kind 'learned under the whip 
and spur of an immediate recitation, never makes 
so strong or lasting an impression as one learned 
when the mind is more at leisure; and the feeling 
of relief and satisfaction with which one enters 
the school with a thorough preparation of the 
lesson will do not a little toward putting the 
mind in a proper frame to receive enjoyment and 
benefit from the Sabbath services.—C. H. Giles, 
in Youth's Instructor. 
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into 
heaven." He shall not so come. His coming is 
spiritual and invisible. Indeed, he has come al-
ready, and is coming more and more every day, 
and this is all the coming these angels meant. 
As for a future judgment, when the destinies of 
the righteous and the wicked shall be fixed, and 
definitely declared, of which the word of God 
speaks so plainly, there is to be actually no such 
day. " God hath not appointed a day in which 
he will judge the world in righteousness, by that 
man whom he hath ordained." All days are 
judgment days. It is a continuous process.which 
is now going on, and will continue, till the con-
summation of all things. Our religious teachers 
—men who are ordained to preach the gospel—are 
proclaiming such doctrines as this. Their ortho-
doxy is unchallenged; their preaching is very 
popular; their books are highly praised by the 
religious papers, and eagerly sought after and 
read with pleasure. 
But we protest against this method of Script-
ural interpretation as subversive of all true doc- 
trine. " If the foundations be destroyed what 
can the righteous do ?" If men are to be allowed, 
without rebuke, to " accommodate the language 
of Scripture " to suit their own fanciful notions, 
we have no certain standard of divine truth; no 
defense against error; no credible authority for 
any doctrine whatever. We are liable to be 
" tossed to and fro and carried about with every 
wind of doctrine, and by the sleight of men, and 
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to 
deceive." We might as well, ye4, better, throw 
aside the Scriptures entirely, and every man 
adopt that scheme of doctrine which pleases him 
best. It is but a solemn mockery to prate about 
the " sacred Scriptures," and to talk of their " in- 
spiration," and to call them the " oracles of God," 
if they are not allowed to speak for themselves, 
and are not to be accepted as meaning what they 
say. It is bad enough to bribe a human witness 
to testify falsely; but what shall we say of the 
crime of extorting a false testimony from the di-
vine word, and claiming its testimony in behalf of 
errors it denounces ?—From " Life Everlasting," 
 
by Prof. J. H. Pettingell. 
one abbatit--#chod 
Question on Acts 9:7; 22:9. 
Parents as Teachers. 
Jr all parents could realize that they themselves 
are the natural and proper teachers of their own 
children, the work of the day or Sabbath-school 
teacher would be materially lessened. Instead of 
feeling that the teacher is responsible for the 
child's education, the parents should feel that 
they are the real teachers, and the class teacher an 
assistant. And no parent need excuse himself on 
the ground of lack of education. All can give in-
struction in the common things of every-day life. 
The teacher has to lead the mind of the child on 
to the comprehension of new things, by compar-
ing them with what it already knows, and if the 
child's natural curiosity has been encouraged and 
properly directed, this work will be much easier. 
In the cases narrated in the following para-
graph from the Sunday-School Times the record 
would certainly have been far different if the par-
ents had done their duty. Such neglect as is in- 
dicated below is almost criminal:— 
"If any teacher is inclined to think that the chil-
dren, of his charge are tolerably well informed on 
the common things of every-day life, or in the ru-
dimental elements of practical knowledge within 
a child's scope, let him test them by a few special 
questions about particular matters in such fields 
of information. Dr. G. Stanley Hall, of Cambridge, 
Massachusetts, has been making some interesting 
experiments in this line among children just en-
tering the Boston primary schools, and 'he gives 
the results of his observations in a bright and 
readable article in the May number of the Prince-
ton Review. Having taken pains to secure only 
children of a fair average of intelligence, he had 
them questioned, three at a time, in a room by 
themselves, by well-trained and experienced 
teachers. The tabulated percentages, showing 
the degrees of knowledge and ignorance on the 
part of two hundred of these children, will be 
likely to surprise any one who has not looked into 
this subject before. For example, one-fifth of 
these children did not know their right or left 
.hand; one-fourth of them did not know their el-
bows; one in three had never seen a chicken; two 
out of three had never seen an ant; one out of 
three had never consciously seen a cloud; two out 
of three had never seen a rainbow; more than 
half of them were ignorant of the fact that wooden 
things are. from trees; more than two-thirds of 
them did not know the shape of the world; nine-
tenths of them could not tell what flour is made of. 
And so with a long list of lesser and larger mat-
ters. A single conclusion of Dr. Hall's in view of 
all his studies in this interesting field, is one which 
we have often had occasion to emphasize in con-
nection with the theory of teaching, and which 
we are glad to re-emphasize with this illustrative 
enforcement : 'There is next to nothing of peda-
gogic value, the knowledge of which it is safe to 
assume at the outset of school life.' " 
When Shall the Lesson Be Studied? 
"Would You Leave the Little Lambs Out ?" 
THERE had been continued service in the church 
of — a number of days, and the religious in-
terest throughout the community was intense. 
It was the most powerful revival I have ever wit-
nessed. Among those who had constantly been 
attending the services was —, the grandson of 
Judge —, a distinguished man in the commu- 
nity, and the grandson of one of the founders of 
the Christian Church in Kentucky. Our pastor 
announced• one day that on that evening there 
would be a meeting of the session for the recep-
tion of members. — was only eleven years 
old, but his heart had been touched by the Spirit 
of God. He asked the permission of his grand-
mother, under whose charge he was, to present 
himself to the elders. She was astonished and 
embarrassed, and said:— 
" My dear child, you are too young. You 
must wait until you are older." 
This was more than young — could endure. 
He burst into tears, and hid his head in her lap. It 
was some time before he regained composure. 
He then said:— 
Grandma, if you had a flock of sheep and 
lambs, and it was winter-time, would you put all 
the big sheep in stables, and leave the little lambs 
outside in the snow and the cold ? " 
The little boy's faith and earnestness triumphed. 
His grandmother assented. He was examined 
as to his faith in Christ, and received into the 
church. 
It is many years since. He was afterward a 
student at college under my tuition. He was a 
bright and diligent student. He became a phy-
sician, and the head of a public institution of the 
State of Kentucky.. He is still an earnest and 
devoted follower of Christ. Early piety is apt to 
become eminent piety.—Sel. 
DR. GUTHRIE says: " Give me these links: 
First, sense of need; second, desire to get; , third, 
belief that God has in store; fourth, belief that 
though he withholds for awhile, he loves to be 
asked; and, fifth, believing that asking will ob-
tain. Give me these links, and the chain will 
reach from earth to heaven, bringing heaven all 
down to me, or bearing me up into heaven." 
" THE devil tempts men through their ambi-
tion, their cupidity, or their appetite, until he 
comes to the profane swearer, whom he catches 
without any reward."—Horace Mann. 
" WILL you please harmonize Acts 9: 7 and 22: 
9, for the benefit of many interested readers ? " 
G. H. D. 
Acts 9:7 says that the men who were with 
Paul " stood speechless, hearing a voice, but see-
ing no man." Acts 21: 9 says that they saw a 
light, but " they heard not the voice of him that 
spake." There is not the slighest discrepancy be-
tween the two passages. The Greek disciple who 
read these words, would readily understand by 
the first that the men heard a sound simply, and 
by the second he would know that they did not 
hear any articulate sound; they heard a voice, 
but it conveyed no meaning to them. This dis-
tinctionis made, not by a difference in the word, 
but by a difference in the case of the word; In 
the first instance the word for voice is in the gen-
itive, and in the second it is in the accusative. 
The people to whom Luke wrote would never 
dream that there was any lack of harmony in the 
two accounts, neither would a Greek scholar of 
to-day. 
This use of the word " voice," however, is not 
uncommon in English, although we do not vary 
the case to denote the distinction. For instance 
in Ps. 93 : 3 we read : "The floods have lifted up 
their voice ; the floods lift up their waves." This 
refers, of course, to the sound of the waves. Btit 
in Gal. 4: 20, Paul says : " I desire to be present 
with you now, and to change my voice," meaning 
that instead of censuring, he wishes to approve 
them. 
An explanation of this subject was given' in No. 
24 of the present volume, page 281 ; but we an-
swer the question here, thinking that the querists 
may have subscribed for the SIGNS since that time. 
E. J. W. 
THE most common excuse offered for poor 
lessons in the Sabbath-school is the lack of time 
to study them. Friday evening is usually set 
apart for this duty. There are, however, some 
disadvantages in this way of doing. At the close 
of the week's toil, mind and body are weary, and 
call for rest, and it is difficult to fix the thoughts 
on the lesson. After reading it over two or three 
times, trying in vain to master it, we are apt to 
lay the paper aside, resolving to try it again Sab-
bath morning. But the morning proves all too 
short for the duties it brings, and too often the 
time comes to start for Sabbath-school before 
a moment has been given to the unlearned lesson. 
Perhaps some attempts are made to learn it on 
the' way, but the results are generally very unsat-
isfactory; and when the recitation shows that we 
are not prepared, we resolve in ourselves that we 
will have our lesson another Sabbath! But, how-
ever sincere our resolutions may be, unless we set 
about planning how to fulfill them, and make 
some systematic effort in that direction, we shall 
very likely fail again. 
Since we have found that Friday night is too 
late, our first care should be to commence in time. 
The majority of our Sabbath-schools are con-
nected with small churches, where but one meet- 
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An objection has been put forth against this view with 
great confidence, which we will now notice. It is this: 
We claim that Spiritualism will have a controlling 'in-
fluence in the formation of the image; but the image is 
made to the Papacy, a union of Church and State; there-
fore it is a religious movement. But Spiritualism is ir-
religious; opposed to the Bible which is the very fount-
ain of religion. 
This objection is very plausible, and for a time we 
had no proof to give on the point; but the harmony 
of the prophecy, the fitness of all the prophecies which 
speak of " lying wonders " in the last days to the mira-
cles of Spiritualism, caused us to hold to our exposition, 
with unwavering confidence that in time we should 
see the solution of the matter. It was announced to 
us, also, who believed in the Third Angel's Message, 
and in a manner which we could not doubt, that " such 
things would be more and more common, clothed in a 
religious garb sons to lull the deceived to more security, 
and to draw the minds of God's people, if possible, to 
those things, and cause them to doubt the teachings 
and power of the Holy Ghost." Also that it would so 
greatly prevail that " it would be considered blasphemy 
to speak against the rapping." It was, indeed, claimed 
by a few that Spiritualism was a religion, and that it 
should be treated with all the consideration to which 
any religious denomination is entitled. But these 
claims never took form. They were not put forth by 
any considerable numbers, and were scarcely noticed. 
and Tendency of Modern Spiritualism," advertised in 
this paper, are given many extracts from high Spir-
itualistic authority, in proof of their taking that posi- 
tion. �
• 
2- They shall show great signs and wonders. Spirit-
ualists have shown great signs and wonders. Some, yes, 
many deny that anything wonderful has ever been 
shown in Spiritualism, but such have seldom thoroughly 
examined the subject. The committees in Rochester 
and New York who examined 'the Fox girls" could 
detect no collusion or deception in the " knockings." 
In fact they put them to such tests as to make collusion 
impossible. The same may be said of the investigations 
of Gov. Talmadge, Judge Edmonds, Dr. Hare, Dr. 
Crookes, of England, and scores of others. 
3. These wonders are deceptive ; designed to turn 
men away from the truth. This has always been char-
acteristic of Spiritualism. It has proved unreliable in 
everything. The whole current of its teaching has been 
in opposition to the Bible and to Christianity. Many 
professed ministers have embraced Spiritualism and un-
der its influence have denied the Bible, have denied Je-
sus Christ, and even denied the authority of God the 
Father. Its tendency has been to impiety and immor-
ality. 
In Rev. 13 these deceptions are said to lead to a speci-
fied result. Under their influence an image is made to 
the first (Roman) beast. As that was a union of church 
and State, so must an image be. In the light of this 
Scripture we have believed and taught for the last thirty 
years that there will be a union of Church and State in 
the United States. True, we saw no indications of it; 
the whole current of American thought seemed to for-
bid it. Yet we never for a moment doubted that it 
would come. And now we see many indications of it. 
The proof that we were correct in our interpretation of 
this prophecy is accumulating on every hand. 
Of late years we have observed a change coming over 
the ranks of the Spiritualists, working more especially 
in the minds of the more intelligent and thoughtful 
among them. They began to intimate that it had been 
a great mistake on their part to ignore the Bible and 
Christianity. At the same time the material phenomena 
are gradually passing out of sight, the media mostly 
acting in the sole capacity of clairvoyants, or seers. 
While many of the most eminent ministers of the day 
are standing on the platform of Spiritualism, firmly 
believing that it is not only possible to hold converse 
with the spirits of our dead friends, but that they 
actually are doing so, it has been evident to all careful 
observers that Spiritualists and the churches are draw-
ing nearer and nearer together. 
And now comes to our notice one of the most interest-
ing items which we have seen on this subject. The city 
authorities of San Francisco have for some time been 
endeavoring to collect license from the media and clair-
voyants who advertise their vocations in the daily pa-
pers. In a recent number of the Chronicle we find a 
report of one of these cases in court, which, although it 
did not come to an is- ue on the main point, was the 
c$ign,5 of tije Eiffie5. 
"Can ye not discern the signs of the times ?'' 
ASSISTANT EDITOR. 
CORRESPONDING EDITORS. 
OAKLAND, CAL., FIFTH-DAY, AUGUST 2,1883. 
'Two Great Compromises. 
ACCORDING to promise we this week commence the 
examination of the Scriptures on which we base our 
faith that there will be a time of trouble and religious 
persecution in the United States. This will be in part 
the eflect, and in part the cause of what we denominate 
THE AMERICAN COMPROMISE. 
We say it will be both the effect and the cause of 
trouble, inasmuch as compromises are generally . the 
result of what is considered a necessity; troubles ex-
isting will lead to the compromise, and when it is made 
it will increase the trouble instead of removing it. 
It is well known to the readers of the SIGNS that we 
believe that the United States is represented by the 
"two-horned beast" of Rev. 13. In appearance it is 
mild and lamb-like, but at last it speaks as a dragon. 
There are several elements brought to view in this 
prophetic symbol. The two horns doubtless represent 
the two great principles which underlie its rise and 
growth—the civil and the religious. The church of 
Rome was represented in Dan. 7 by " a horn " before 
its union with the civil power. The United States, 
though it did not place any ban upon Catholicism, 
grew up under the influence of Protestantism. The 
Romish hierarchy had just been presented to the vision 
of .the prophet John, as a great persecuting power, 
making war upon the saints. In contrast, this nation 
is repreented with lamb-like horns; mild in its pro-
fession in both its civil and ecclesiastical features. 
What more mild, and more in contrast with the posi-
tion occupied by the Governments of Europe, than the 
Declaration of Independence ? And what more lamb-
like, more in contrast with the State religions of the 
Old World, than the profession of the early framers of 
our religious policy, namely, that all might here worship 
God according to the dictates of their own consciences? 
True, neither Church nor State was in all things con-. 
sistent with its profession; but, inconsistent as they 
were in some things, the contrast with Old-World 
policy in both Church and State was truly striking. 
In Maryland there•was shown some spirit of retaliation 
upon the Catholics; and in New England, to which we 
are much indebted for the moulding of our religious 
institutions, there was a most unreasonable warfare 
waged against the Baptists and Quakers. Yet we have 
a glorious heritage bequeathed to us by our fathers of 
the last two centuries. 
But one of the most striking features in this symbol 
is that it is a wonder-working power. These wonders 
are called "miracles." By these the world was de-
ceived. Mark this point: it does not say that it de-
ceived the dwellers on the earth by pretending lo work 
miracles: though this is the interpretation put upon it 
by some. But the Scripture says, " And deceiveth them 
that dwell on the earth by those miracles which he 
had power to do." In Matt. 24, in our Lord's great 
prophecy of his second coming, and of the signs and 
events which will precede it, he says:— 
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,. here is 
Christ, or there, believe it not. For there shall arise 
false. christs, and false prophets, and shall show great 
signs and wonders: insomuch that, if it were possible, 
they shall deceive the very elect." 
This is a most interesting prophecy, and contains 
important information. 1. There shall arise false 
christs. Then they must deny the true Christ, for the 
Bible never recognizes or admits of a plurality of 
christs. But in Spiritualism this is literally fulfilled. 
Spiritualists teach that the term " Christ " embraces 
a class, and is not confined to any one individual. 
They teach that Christ of Judea was a medium, re-
markable for that age, but his powers as a medium 
would not be considered remarkable if he lived in this 
age; that he never professed to be the Son of God in 
the sense which Christians attach to that title; and 
that many of the present age are really christs, and 
justly entitled to the name. In our work, " Nature 
means of bringing out some very important facts. The 
following is that part of the report which contains the 
facts in which we are interested. The article is headed 
" Spiritualism in Court.—Why a Medium Resists the 
Paying of a License: "— 
" A long-pending and oft-time postponed charge of 
misdemeanor against Mrs. Eggert-Aitken, a Mission 
Street medium and magnetic-healer, has been dismissed 
by Police Judge Lawler. The misdemeanor was for the 
woman's refusal to pay the municipal license att empted 
to be collected from her as a clairvoyant. The case had 
been selected to test the validity of such licenses. Had 
not the case gone off on another point, the defense would 
have offered testimony showing that the Spiritualistic 
fraternity and sisterhood are organized in a religious in-
corporation, which provides for the ordaining of medi-
ums, who, it would have been claimed, hold in the Spir-
itualistic faith and religion the same position as do 
priests and clergymen in other religious denominations. 
It had been intended to show also that the accused was 
such an ordained medium, and that clairvoyancy was 
the greatest gift bestowed on mediums. It was to have 
been argued on this showing that until clergymen and 
priests were compelled to pay licenses none could or 
should be collected from Spiritualistic priestesses. But 
the testimony of the prosecuting witness, if it made out 
any case at all against the priestess, showed that she 
had only told him his past and future fortune, and be-
ing charged as a clairvoyant, the seeress could not be 
held under the complaint, which was then dismissed." 
This is the position which all clairvoyants will have 
to take, as they all deny the right of the city to collect 
license of them. It will certainly be brought to a 
decision in the courts, and we see no way to avoid the 
conclusion that they will be exempted as ordained 
priests or priestesses. If they become incorporated as 
a religious denomination under the laws of the State, 
the courts cannot deny their rights, for they are for-
bidden by the Constitution to discriminate for or against 
any religious denomination. When once this position 
is generally taken they cannot fail to become popular. 
They have not only millions of believers, but they 
number among their believers and public lecturers 
some of the ablest and best educated men of all the 
nations. Hosts of ministers now occupy a position 
which will not only permit, but naturally lead them to 
become preachers to churches of Spiritualists. They 
seek for fashionable, popular, and wealthy congrega-
tions; there they will find them. This is one step in 
the fulfillment of this prophecy. Others remain to be 
noticed. 
The Commandment for the First Day 
of the Week. 
ST. PAUL has given a precept concerning the first 
day of the week. It is the only precept concerning 
that day in the New Testament, and must therefore 
contain all our duty so far as we are required to distin-
guish that day from the other days of the week. St- 
Paul claimed so high a degree of inspiration that he 
said that the precepts which he gave in the name of the 
Lord should be regarded as the commandment of the 
Lord. 1 Cor. 14 : 37. Moreover as he was the apostle 
of the Gentiles, as Peter and James and John were the 
apostles of the circumcision (Rom. 11 : 13; 15 : 16; Gal. 
2 : 7-9), it was proper that he should be the one chosen 
to teach the Gentiles their duty toward the first day of 
the week. 
When the seventh day was proclaimed to the people 
of God, it was God the Father who gave the command-
ment, and in the commandment we find three important 
things announced. 1. The title of the seventh day 
which is the Sabbath or rest-day of the Lord. 2. The 
duty with respect to the day, which is to set it apart from 
all worldly business. 3. The reason why we should do 
this, which is that God sanctified the day because he had 
rested upon it from the six days of labor in the creation 
of the world. Ex. 20 :8-11. 
St. Paul gives us a precept concerning the first day of 
the week, which day it isicommonly supposed ought to 
take the place of the seventh day. But why. Christ did 
not give us a precept concerning this day if the day 
were made sacred by his resurrection, or why if it was 
best that St. Paul and not Christ should *give this pre-
cept, the act of giving it should be delayed till nearly 
thirty years after Christ arose, it is not easy to explain. 
But the precept has been given and it is for us to 
carefully examine it that we may learn what it contains. 
We ought to find in it the three things contained in 
the commandment concerning the seventh day. Thus 
we ought to find (1) The title; (2) The manner of ob-
serving the day; (3) The reason why it should be ob-
served. In addition to this we ought to find the decla- 
J. H. WAGGONER, 
E. J. WAGGONER, 
J. N. ANDREWS, 
URIAH SMITH, 
EDITOR. 
ration that this commandment concerning the first day 
has been given to take the place of the commandment 
concerning the seventh day, if the precept were given 
for that purpose ; otherwise we must understand that 
this precept does not excuse us from keeping the fourth 
commandment. 
This precept reads thus: " Now concerning the col-
lection for the saints, as I have given order to the 
churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day 
of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, 
as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings 
when I come." 1 Cor. 16 :1, 2. This is the only com-
mandment concerning the first day of the week in the 
New Testament, and it must therefore contain all our 
duty with respect to that particular day, and the reason 
on which that duty is founded. First, it must desig-
nate -eie day by its proper title, in order that we may 
know how much honor we ought to bestow upon it. 
Thus if it is the day which St. John calls the Lord's day, 
St. Paul when he teaches us how to observe the day must 
call it by that title or by some other title equally hon-
orable. In our time the day is called the Christian 
Sabbath. If St. Paul knew that this was its proper 
name, he was under obligation to call it by this title 
when he was teaching us what we were to do in order 
to honor the day. 
But what does he call it ? Simply the first day of 
the week and nothing else. The day had borne this 
title more than 4,000 years (Gen. 1 :5), and the res-
urrection of Christ had not added to it any title what-
ever. The name is exactly on a level as to rank and 
sacredness with the second day or third day, or any 
other day of the week which God has not sanctified. 
But what is the duty which St. Paul commands us to 
perform on this day? or rather, What is the manner 
in which we are, according to his commandment; to 
observe the day ? Each one is to lay by himself in 
store on that day. 
Would this duty occupy the whole day ? By no 
means. On the contrary, one hour thus spent each 
week would suffice for the work. In most cases, even 
fifteen minutes on each first day of the week would 
enable each individual to fulfill this duty. What else 
does the apostle assign to fill up the remaining hours 
of_ the first day ? Nothing at all. Then he was not 
teaching the Corinthians how to celebrate the day as 
a holy day set apart from our business to the worship 
of God. On the contrary, he was only desirous to secure 
the 'performance of a particular act or duty, for which 
he must designate a definite day. 
It is supposed by many that he gave this command-
ment in order to teach the people to assemble for public 
worship each first day. But, this cannot be true, for he 
did not command the Corinthians to cast their money 
into the public treasury of the church, but he com-
manded each one to lay aside his contribution at his 
own house. The people must be in their own dwellings 
when they obeyed this precept. 
But what reason did St. Paul assign for this precept ? 
Was it that Christ arose on this day, and that they 
would commemorate his resurrection if they spent a 
few. minutes on each first day of the week in laying by 
at their own houses a part of the wages of the previous 
week? He does not even allude to the resurrection 
of Christ; and it would have been very absurd to tell 
the Corinthians that the act of setting apart on the 
first day of the week one-tenth of the money received 
the previous week, would commemorate the resurrection 
of the Saviour. 
He does give a reason however for this precept. It 
is that there should be no gatherings of money when he 
come. Why not ? Was the gathering of money in 
this manner an act too sacred, to be done in the presence 
of P4,u1? By no means. The real reason was that Paul 
wished 'to have all the time when he should visit them 
in which to instruct them in the deep things of the 
Spirit of God and was not willing to be hindered by this 
secular business. Therefore he commanded them to 
take a portion of each first day of the week, each one 
being at his .own house and examining the condition of 
his own affairs. 
The last day of the week could not be used for this 
purpose because it had been set apart from all busi-
ness transactions, to the honor of the Creator. But on 
each first day before engaging anew in the affairs of 
this life they were to review the previous week and to 
lay aside something for the wants of the poor. Does 
this precept set aside the fourth commandment ? St. 
Paul does not say so. Does it conflict with what God 
has said in that commandment in honor of the seventh 
day ? By no means. Moreover the only people that 
I have known to keep this precept of St. Paul just as 
he gave it are those who sanctify the seventh day as 
the Sabbath of the Lord. �
J. N. A. 
The Honor Due to God. 
" AND, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted 
him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal 
life ? He said unto him, What is written in the law ? 
how readest thou ? And he answering said, Thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all 
thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy 
mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto 
him, Thou hast well said; this do, and thou shalt live." 
Luke 10:25-28. 
There are very many degrees of service which we may 
render to God, but there is only one that is acceptable 
to him, and that is undivided service. God requires 
that all the faculties both of body and mind shall be 
consecrated to him; he will accept nothing less. We 
are to regard ourselves and all our talents, both of mind 
and means, as belonging to, him without reserve. It is 
a rare thing to find one who realizes the full extent of 
the claims that God makes upon us. Our minds have 
been so warped by selfishness that it is difficult to even 
conceive of such perfect service as the Lord requires, and 
much more so to do it. It should be the great object of 
every person to have his spiritual discernment so quick_ 
ened that he may be able to comprehend the complete-
ness of service that God requires of him. It could not 
be any more forcibly stated than it is in the text above 
quoted, but to understand and carry out all the details 
is the work of a life-time. 
But it should be constantly borne in mind that God 
does not make this claim upon us arbitrarily, and with-
out sufficient reason. He claims no more than is his 
just due. In Rev. 4: 11 we find the basis of God's 
claim upon his creatures as follows:— 
" Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honor 
and power; for thou bast created all things, and for thy 
pleasure they are and were created." 
It is because God has created us that he has a right to 
our service. This, fact is made very prominent in the 
Bible. Why should we serve Jehovah, ratherthan the 
gods which the heathen worship ? Because God created 
us and all things that we enjoy, and they did not. 
Paul says: " There be gods many and lords many, but 
to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all 
things, and we in him." 1 Cor. 8: 5, 6. The psalmist 
says: " Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his 
presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is 
God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; 
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Ps. 
100:2, 3. If we had made ourselves, or could by our 
own unaided effbrts maintain our existence for a single 
moment, we would be under no obligation to any being; 
but since we are indebted to God not only for life, but 
for all that is necessary for its continuance, common 
gratitude requires us to render him all the service of 
which we are capable, for it is impossible for us to do as 
much for him as he has done for us. 
Some may cavil at the expression, "Thou hast cfea-
ted all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were 
created; " but such persons forget that what is for the 
pleasure of God, is for our, higheit good. They forget 
the possibilities of the life which he has given us; that 
it is only preparatory to a life that shall never end, a 
life filled with joys of which it is impossible for the 
mind of man to conceive. It is the Father's " good 
pleasure"• to give us the kingdom that shall have no 
end. The service of which the lawyer spoke,•and of 
which Christ approved, is summed up in one word, 
" godliness," and of this Paul says that it " is profitable 
unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, 
and of that which is to come." 1 Tim. 4:8. It is only 
because men lose sight of what God is doing and pro-
poses to do for them, that they refuse to render him the 
service which is his due. 
But love to God must be expressed in some tangible 
form. A love that consists merely of a dreamy senti-
mentality, an indefinable " good feeling " that is dissi-
pated by a call to the performance of some duty, comes 
far short of the love that will win eternal life. True 
love consists in doing, not in simple feeling; and words 
and protestations of affection are of little value unless 
accompanied by corresponding deeds. Said the Saviour: 
"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15. 
A 
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And again: " Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not 
the things which I say " Luke 7:46. The apostle 
John also says: " And hereby do we know that we know 
him, if we keep his commandments." 1 John 2: 3; also, 
" For this is the love of God, that we keep his command-
ments." 1 John 5: 3. When the lawyer quoted, "Thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," etc., 
the Saviour replied, " Thou bast answered right; this 
do, and thou shalt live." There is something for us to 
do as well as to feel. A person can no more love God 
and fail to manifest it by deeds, than he can live with-
out breathing. 
But before we can manifest our love to God by deeds, 
we must know what would please him; and he has 
therefore specified the ways by which he would have 
men express their love for him, so that they can have 
no excuse for taking a course of which God disapproves, 
under the impression that they are pleasing him. Fol-
lowing are two of the ways in which we may honor God 
and show our love for him:- 
" If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, 
from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the 
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and 
shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding 
thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then 
shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause 
thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed 
thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the 
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. 58: 13, 14. 
" Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the 
first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be 
filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with 
new wine." Prov. 3:9, 10. 
By the-e two texts we see that God requires us to de-
vote to him a portion of both our time and our means. 
Of our time he requires one-seventh; of our means one-
tenth. We shall proceed to show that theSe require-
ments are exactly similar; that the same reasons exist 
for each; that both are explicit and unconditional; and 
that the same degree of guilt attaches to the neglect of 
one as to the other. In comparing them we shall give 
a few leading facts in regard to the Sabbath, and then 
consider the tithe in its various relations. 
THE SABBATH. 
It is based on the right of property. Our time, as 
well as ourselves, belongs to God; but he reserves only 
one-seventh for himself, leaving the rest to us. We may 
devote a part of the six days to him, and we ought to, 
but we are not allowed to appropriate any portion of 
the seventh to our own use. Of it God says that it "is 
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; " he calls it " my 
holy day." It is obvious, then, that if we should ap-
propriate any of this time to our own use, we would be 
guilty of theft. When the people violated the Sabbath, 
God said that he was " profaned among them." 'Eze. 
22:26. That means that he was robbed of his honor, 
and treated with contempt. 
The Sabbath existed prior to the Jewish dispensa-
tion. There is nothing in it of a ceremonial nature. 
God claimed it as his own in the beginning. See Gen. 
2!2, 3. 
Since the Sabbath existed before and during the 
Jewish dispensation, it cannot have been affected by 
the close of that dispensation, and hence must exist to-
day in as full force as in Vhe beginning. This is what 
we would naturally expect, and we have direct testi-
mony to that effect. Our Saviour positively affirmed 
that not one jot or one tittle of the law should pass 
away. Matt. 5:17-19. He kept the Sabbath himself, 
Luke 4:16; John 15:10; and he showed that his true 
disciples would be keeping it at the time of the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem, nearly forty 'years after the Jewish 
dispensation closed. Matt. 24:20. We have already 
referred to Eze. 22:26; if it were necessary, we could 
easily show that this chapter has reference to.the last 
days,—our own time. The Lord says: " Thou hast de-
spised my holy things, and hast profaned my.Sabbaths." 
Verse 8; but the Sabbath could not be profaned by 
wicked men, if it wore not sacred; therefore it exists as 
sacred time in the last days. 
THE TITHE. 
The above propositions hold good in regard to the 
tithe. 
1. It also is based on the right of property. God cre-
ated all things; they are his. The psalmist says: " The 
earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world, 
and they that dwell therein." Ps. 24: 1. Again the 
Lord speaks through his servant: "For every beast of 
the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills, 
• 
344 �
TI—I �
1-1; SIGNS OF THE TIM �
FIJS. �
VoL. 9, No. 29. 
I know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild 
beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would 
not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fullness 
thereof." Ps. 50:10-12. " The silver is mine, and the 
gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:8. 
We may gain some of this world's goods for ourselves, 
but it is God who • gives us power to get wealth. Deut. 
8: 18; it is he that " giveth us all things richly to enjoy." 
1 Tim. 6: 17. Without God, we could not exist a single 
moment; we are utterly dependent on him for " life, 
and breath, and all things." 
But, as with time, so with property, God has reserved 
a portion for himself. That which he claims is one-
tenth; the other nine-tenths he places entirely at our 
disposal. We may and should devote a portion of this 
to the Lord, and hold it all subject to his call; but we 
have nothing to do with any part of the tithe, except to 
pass it over to the Lord. In Lev. 27: 30 we read: " And 
all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, 
or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto 
the Lord." Compare this verse with the fourth com-
mandment: The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord 
thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." The same 
words are used concerning the tithe that are used in re-
gard to the Sabbath, and it must, therefore, be equally 
sacred with the Sabbath. " It is the Lord's." 
Since the tithe belongs wholly to God, it needs no ar-
gument to prove that if we use it, or any part of it,,our-
selves, we are guilty of robbery. This is a self-evident 
fact; but lest any should doubt it, we will quote the 
Lord's own words: " Will a man rob God ? Yet ye 
have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed 
thee ? In tithes and in offerings." Mal. 3: 8. These are 
solemn words. Reader, do they apply to you ? We 
shall come back to this point again. 
The tithe is not peculiar to the Jewish dispensa-
tion. By reading God's instruction to the Jews, on this 
subject, we learn some things that we would not other-
wise know; but the tithe did not originate with the 
Jews. God said to the Jews: " The tithe is the Lord's," 
not " shall be the Lord's." The tithe was the Lord's 
before the Jews had an existence; the Lord simply re-
freshed their memory in regard to the fact. Turn to 
Gen. 14, and you will there find recorded a transaction 
that took place in the patriarchal age. The facts are 
these: Lot, Abraham's nephew, lived in Sodom. Sev-
eral kings made war against the kings of Sodom and 
Gomorrah, and, having conquered them, took all their 
goods. Among the prisoners was Lot. When Abraham 
heard of this, he pursued and attacked the victorious 
army, and recovered all the booty and captives that 
they had taken. As he was returning from the slaugh-
ter of the kings, he was met by Melchizedek, king of 
Salem, who brought forth bread and wine. Melchize-
dek .was " the priest of the most high God," and he 
blessed Abraham. To him Abraham gave tithes of all 
that he had gained. See Gen. 14:17-20; Heb. 7:4. 
This was four hundred years before the covenant was 
made with the Jews, and nearly two hundred years 
before Judah, from whom the Jews received their name, 
was born. It is true that this is the first instance'on 
record of the payment of tithes, but we are not told that 
the system of tithing was instituted here; and since the 
same conditions existed before this time that did after • 
wards, we must conclude that tithes were paid from the 
beginning. �
• 
Since the tithing system, like the Sabbath, existed 
before the Jewish dispensation, it also must exist still, 
unaffected by any changes that have been made. And 
here also we have the most positive testimony. In 
Matt. 23: 23 we find the following language of Christ: 
" Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for 
ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have 
omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, 
mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not 
to leave the other undone." He did not rebuke them 
for paying tithes, for he plainly says that they ought to 
do so; but he rebuked them for their hypocrisy. They 
were scrupulous about paying tithes, because that was 
something that could be seen; they could take care that 
everybody should know that they performed this duty, 
and thus they would gain a reputation for piety and de-
votion to God. But when it came to heart-service, 
—judgment, mercy, and faith,—they could not make so 
much of an outside show, and therefore they omitted 
it. It was for this hypocrisy that the woe was pro-
nounced upon them. They could not atone for the neg-
lect of one duty by the strict performance of another; 
for both were essential. �
E. J. W. 
The Calling of God. 
BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL. 
THERE is no higher evidence that God has called men 
for his work than a willingness on their part to place 
themselves in the breach, to give their talents, received 
from him, their substance, and even their lives, if need 
be, to vindicate the honor and glory of God. There 
have ever been such men and women, and there are 
such to-day. They are not so numerous in fact as in 
profession, yet they exist,—those whose hearts are as 
true as the early disciples who took joyfully the spoiling 
of their goods, knowing that in Heaven they had a bet-
ter and a more enduring substance. The cause of 
Christ is the most precious of all causes. It is the safest 
enterprise in the world. The greatest privilege that 
man can have in this world is to sacrifice his means, his 
reputation, and any or all of his personal interests for 
the cause of Christ, in a time of actual need. At such 
times every tear that is shed is bottled in Heaven. Ev-
ery heartfelt prayer is lodged upon Heaven's altar. 
Every dollar of means thus invested is " treasure laid 
up in Heaven that faileth not, where no thief approach-
eth, neither moth corrupteth." Christ laid aside the 
glory that he had with his Father and became poor, that 
we through his poverty might become rich." For man 
to do the same is simply drinking of the same cup; it is 
" filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of 
Christ." It is suffering with Uhrist for the same cause 
which led him to die upon the cross. 
The results of the schools both in New England and 
California after one year's experiment, in furnishing in-
dividuals to labor in the harvest field, as far as num-
bers are concerned,, are truly marvelous. If the same suc-
cess attends the school in California in the future as has 
during the past year, the time is not far distant when 
instead of importing ministerial laborers, we shall have 
them to send to other destitute fields. 
There can be no more sacred trust committed to a 
people than an institution where men and women are 
fitted to go forth to enter the great harvest field. 
Such an institution has in the providence of God been 
established upon this coast. And God has shown by the 
first year's experience what he is willing to do. It did 
not come too soon. The school building has already 
proved none too large. The College boarding building, 
judging from present prospect and appearance, is as near 
perfection as to size and construction as could be erected. 
God's providential care was seen over the enterprise at 
the commencement of building this house. After it was 
decided to build, and every step taken that could be 
without means from some source, they knew not where, 
the enterprise seemed to hang in the balance. After 
earnestly seeking God in prayer by those who had the 
responsibility and burden of the work, a widowed sister, 
having sold her farm, came to the SIGNS Office, and 
learning the situation of things, voluntarily took 500 
shares at $10 each, making $5,000 with which to com-
mence the building, and thus the work moved forward. 
The present prospect for students, including those 
who went out from the school to labor during the sum-
mer vacation, some of whom were but sixteen years of 
age, is good. Then there are worthy persons who have 
labored to some extent in the cause, who need the ben-
efit of a school drill, but are too poor to attend without 
assistance. We have now reached another financial 
crisis. Laborers are wanted in the field, and the future 
usefulness.of many of these students is dependent upon 
some instruction where proper influences can be thrown 
around them. Will the guardians of this institution 
provide for them ? Shall it now be embarrassed ? We 
verily believe that God has other servants on this coast 
besides this widowed sister to whom he has intrusted 
talents of means, who will help in a time like this. The 
cause is the Lord's. 
THE following figures, showing the strength of non-
conformity in Wales, have just been issued. When the 
last computation was made, the number of Presby-
terians or Calvanistic Methodists was 119,000, and the 
increase during the last ten years is at the rate of 28 
per cent., while the increase in the population was only 
12 per cent. The Congregationalists, Wesleyans, and 
Baptists among them, number 215,000, and the increase 
during the last ten years is at the rate of 34 per cent. 
The Nonconformists have 3,000 places bf worship in 
the Principality, and their annual collection amounts 
to $2,000,000. 
ht Pi5sinam 
The Faith of the Waldenses. 
BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL. 
SMALL bodies of Christians left. Rome at a very 
early date and settled in the Waldensian Valleys, 
and centuries later larger bodies of Christians fled 
from Southern France to this place of refuge. 
There is much evidence that the Waldenses of 
Piedmont did not owe their rise to Peter Waldo, 
of Lyons, who appeared in the latter half of the 
twelfth century. 
The Waldensian Valleys are seven in number, 
but the limits of their territory have undergone 
repeated curtailment, and now only seven amain, 
lying between Pinerolo on the east and Monte 
Viso on the west. It is in that part of the Alpine 
Chain which extends between Turin on the east, 
and Grenoble on the west, and is known as the 
Cottian Alps. It is in this section of the country, 
and in these valleys, that this people lived. 
Concerning their faith, it is evident that they 
believed and practiced much as did the early 
Christians who learned directly from the apostles. 
Those historians who have made this point prom-
inent in their investigations state that " the fall of 
man, the incarnation of the Son, the perpetual 
autho
rity of the decalogue as given by God, the 
need of divine grace in order to good works, the 
necessity of holiness, the institution of the minis-
try, the resurrection of the body, and the eternal 
bliss of Heaven " was their faith.* It is also 
stated that the blamelessness of their lives and 
the purity of their words became a proverb, so 
that when one was more than ordinarily exempt 
from the vices of his time, he was sure to be sus-
pected as one of this company. The indictment 
against the Waldenses included a formidable list 
of " heresies." It was a remark that " if there be 
an honest man, who will neither slander, nor 
swear, nor lie, nor commit adultery, nor kill, nor 
steal, nor avenge himself of his enemies, they 
presently say of such a one, He is a Vaudes, and 
worthy of death." 
The simplicity of their constitution of faith may 
be held to have been a reflection of the church of 
the first centuries. Their entire territory was di-
vided into parishes. In each parish was a settled 
pastor. He preached, visited the sick, and took 
charge of their educational interests. 
To maintain the truth among their own mount-
ains was not the only object of this people. 
They felt that the faith of the gospel, which was 
so precious to them, should be extended through-
out the rest of Christendom. They did not cross 
the ocean with their mission, like some other 
Christians who were reformers from the Catholic 
faith, but they sought first to enlighten those who 
were• nearest to them, and thus extend their ef-
forts in a quiet manner throughout Europe. All 
their education was to this end, so that the mis-
sionary spirit was effectually infused throughout 
the entire body in their youth. Their text-book 
was the Holy Scriptures. They were required to 
commit to memory, and be able to accurately re-
cite whole gospels and epistles. This was one 
essential part of their education. A portion of 
the time was occupied in transcribing the Script-
ures, which they took with them when they went 
out as missionaries. Such portions of the Script-
ure as would more forcibly illustrate their faith 
were distributed as they went through Europe. 
If people manifested a desire for the Scriptures, 
and were too poor to purchase, they gave them 
these portions. They went forth as missionaries, 
two and two, concealing their- real character un-
der the guise of a secular profession, most com-
monly that of merchants or peddlers. Titer car-
ried those articles that were not easily purchased 
save at distant cities. By selling these goods 
they paid their expenses and obtained the good-
will of those with whom they came in contact. 
When they found people who were interested, and 
they thought it safe to place in their hands the 
word of God, or portions of it, this they did, and 
in this manner there was no country in Southern 
or Central Europe to which these missionaries did 
not find their way, and wherever they went they 
left traces of their visit in the disciples whom they 
made. Those who were converted did not know 
'While visiting them last summer we were told by one of their descend-
ants that some of their ancestors kept the seventh-day Sabbath; that 
there was an old history which testified to it, and that her son had it in 
his possession. He was away at that time at school studying for the 
ministry. 
AUGUST 2, 1883. 
THE. SIGNS OF THE TIM �
IH]S. �
345 
themselves that they belonged to the Waldensian 
faith. They were converted to the Bible and to 
God, and loved the truth because of its virtue. 
They entered even Rome itself, scattering the 
seed on ungenial soil. " Their naked feet and 
coarse woolen garments made them somewhat 
marked figures in the streets of a city that clothed 
itself in purple and fine linen; and when their real 
errand was discovered, as sometimes chanced, the 
rulers of Christendom took care to further, in 
their own way, the springing of the seed, by 
watering it with the blood of the men who had 
sowed it." 
It was by a three year's experience as a col-
porteur, or in missionary work of this kind, that 
they earned to them a reputation that prepared 
them, to become pastors of parishes in their own 
land. They seemed to feel that they were under 
obligation to give Europe the word of God,—that 
God required it at their hands,--and to do this to 
them was more precious than their homes and 
their own native land, or even their life itself. 
The Waldensian faith and worship existed many 
centuries before . Protestantism arose--long be-
fore the days of the Reformation, when the great 
spiritual revival commenced in the days of Wyc-
liffe, and advanced in the times of Luther and 
Calvin. And this work which has now spread' 
 
throughout the world, was largely the result of 
the seed sown by these missionaries, and by the 
efforts put forth by this people. The Judgment 
alone will reveal the power of God's truth in the 
hands of a people that sought not their own aggran-
dizement, but sought only to spread a knowledge 
of the Bible, and to interest men and women in 
its most sacred truths. This is the manner in 
which God works. This was Christ's mission to 
this earth, to spread truths, and not to exalt him-
. self. This was the work of the apostles, and the 
work of the Waldenses, and this has been the se-
cret of true reform in every age. It is our work. 
The less of self and the more of God, the greater 
and more permanent the success. 
Downey and Artesia, California. 
WE closed our meetings at Downey on the even-
ing of the 22d inst. Ten or twelve have made up 
their minds to obey God more fully by accepting 
the light brought to them, and so make a prepara-
tion to meet the Saviour when he comes. We 
have engaged a hall in which to hold meetings 
every Sabbath, and one of us will be here each 
week to meet with the little company. 
We had some opposition which in the end 
proved to be a real help to us. Dr. Kendricks, 
Sen., a minister of the Disciple Church, under-
took to point out the mistakes of S. D. Advent-
ists, by trying to show the people that Sunday 
was the Lord's day, and that the decalogue was 
included in the law of Moses and with it was 
nailed to the cross. We invited our congregation 
to go and hear him, and then him and his con-
gregation to the tent the next evening, to hear a 
review. Five evenings were occupied in the tent 
before large audiences, by Elder Kendricks and 
Brother Briggs alternately. The result was, as 
far as we can learn, 'a general verdict in the 
minds of the people that God's moral precepts 
(all ten of them) are binding in the Christian dispen-
sation, and that the seventh day is still the Sab-
bath of the Lord, or the Lord's day, and that 
Elder K. failed to establish a point in the argu-
ment. 
We have moved our, tent five miles southeast 
of Downey, to the Artesia settlement one and 
one-half miles south of Norwalk. Held our first 
meeting last evening; there was quite a good 
number present. 
Brethren G. W. Cody, Henry Rieck, and Arthur 
J.agiton are with us and are doing good service 
in visiting, canvassing, and holding Bible readings 
with persons who wish to investigate, then invit-
ing them to the tent-meetings. Pray for us and 
the work here that God's blessing may attend it, 
and that many may be brought to a ,saving 
knowledge of the truth. 
E. A. BRIGGS, 
M. C. ISRAEL. 
Norwalk, Los Angeles Co., July 27,1883. 
Mon.dovi Buffalo Co Wis. 
WE have our tent pleasantly located in this 
place, a country village of about 300 inhabitants, 
30 miles southwest of Eau Claire. There are es-
tablished here three churches, Methodist, Baptist, 
and Congregational, the latter without a pastor 
at present. 
We came here a week ago entire strangers, but 
have met a kind reception from the people. The 
Baptist ministers, two of whom reside here, are 
quite cordial, and wish us well in our endeavors 
to benefit the community. We have visited each 
family and invited them to attend the meetings, 
and while doing so have obtained about 30 sub-
scribers for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 
Thus far our 
meetings are well attended, and there seems to be 
a disposition manifested by many to give us a 
candid hearing. We expect some opposition. Of 
the results we form no idea. We leave this with 
God and those for whom we labor, and shall try 
to so labor that the Spirit of God may aid us in 
presenting the truth, and searching for the honest 
in heart. �
G. C. TENNEY, 
C. F. STILLWELL. 
Milton, Maine. 
WE pitched the tent in this place June 21st, 
and as the result of our effort thus far, there are 
seven or eight who have said they were decided 
to keep the commandments. 
The Methodist minister last Sunday forenoon 
expressed himself about the influence of S. D. 
Adventists. We reviewed him at our tent Tues-
day evening before a good congregation. His 
effort against us has served to make for us friends. 
We remain here over another Sunday. There 
is to be a baptism before we go away. Three or 
four are expected to be baptized. There are a 
great many who acknowledge that we have got 
the truth, but there does not seem to be much of a 
desire to obey. Remember us in your prayers. 
July 20, 1888. �
S. J. HERSUM. 
One Case. 
OUR colporteurs do not usually reap the immedi-
ate fruit of the seed they sow, and sometimes do 
not know that the seed sown with so much care 
has even fallen on fruitful soil. 
While making a recent trip on a Puget Sound 
steamer, after Supplying the tables with publica-
tions from the SIGNS Office as I " was wont " to 
do, I took a second trip to replenish, and to note 
the interest. A gentleman with a tract in hand 
kindly greeted me, and we entered into conver-
sation. 
I found him to be an isolated member of one of 
our churches in California, now seeking a home in 
the mild climate and promising Territory of Wash-
ington. His history' as a commandment-keeper, 
briefly stated, ran about as follows:— 
A colporteur called on his family and solicited 
his subscription for the SIGNS, offering as an in-
ducement the excellent work entitled " Life and 
Epistles of the. Apostle Paul." He was a Method-
ist, and thought he had no use for the paper, but 
subscribed in order to obtain the premium. To 
read, however, was but to become interested in 
the doctrines contained therein. 
The Bible was called forth to defend his scho-
lastic theology, but lo, like Micaiah before Ahab, 
1 Kings 22: 8, it did not bear the desired testi-
mony. But unlike Ahab he said: "Let the word 
be true if it makes me to be in error." 
After a careful and prayerful investigation, he, 
with his good wife, commenced the observance of 
the Lord's Sabbath. On hearing of a church of 
like faith some miles distant they visited them, 
learned the way of truth more perfectly, and 
united their interest and name with that company 
in church fellowship. I do not know the colpor-
teur's name—I trust it is written in the book of 
life. Perhaps he does not, and will never, know 
the fruit of the seed sown at that morning call, till 
the goal is reached and the armor laid aside. 
The tears which fall, the prayers which are 
offered for and by our missionaries, are not re-
corded on earth, but the Master has given the 
precious promise: " He that goeth forth and 
weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless 
come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves 
with him." 
Have you, dear reader, hid your talent in the 
earth ? Would you be among the " rejoicing " 
reapers? Better exhume that talent and put it 
into the market where it will draw the largest in-
terest, and thus obtain something to return to the 
Master when he cometh to reckon with you. 
CHAS. L. BOYD, 
East Portland, Oregon. 
MANY will say, Yes. So common is this idea, 
that beer has become, to quite an extent, a fam-
ily and table beverage, even among people who 
would shrink from the thought that they were 
given to the use of an alcoholic drink. Temper-
ance speakers who are in the habit of classing 
beer among the other death-dealing alcoholic bev-
erages are looked upon as cranky and fanatical. 
Drinkers of beer are loud in its praises, and it has 
grown in popularity with a rapidity that has 
no parallel. What are the facts ? The question 
is a serious one, and should receive candid consid-
eration. 
Perhaps no conclusion can be more just and 
fair than the one deduced from a purely business 
consideration of the results of beer drinking. Mr. 
Green, president of the Connecticut Mutual Life 
Insurance Co., one of the oldest in the country, 
has made the subject one of close study and in-
vestigation for years. He has not done this in 
the interests of temperance, but simply that he 
might solve the problem whether beer promotes 
vitality or otherwise; in other words, to know 
whether beer drinkers are desirable risks to a life 
insurance company. We give his conclusions: He 
declared, as the result of a series of observations 
carried on among a selected group of persons who 
were habitual drinkers of beer, that, although for 
two or three years there was nothing remarkable, 
yet presently death began to strike, and then the 
mortality became astounding and uniform in its 
manifestations. There was no mistaking it; the 
history was almost invariable: robust, apparent 
health, full muscles, a fair outside, increasing 
weight, florid faces; then a touch of cold, or a 
sniff of malaria, and instantly some acute disease, 
with almost invariable typhoid symptoms, was 
in violent action, and ten days or less ended it. 
It was as if the system had been kept fair on the 
outside, while within it was eaten to a shell, and 
at the first touch of disease there was utter col-
lapse; every fibre was poisoned and weak. And 
this, in its main features, varying in degree, has 
been his observations in beer drinking everywhere. 
It is peculiarly deceptive at first; it is thoroughly 
destructive at last—Lever. 
THE STRONGEST DRINK.—Water is -the strongest 
drink. It drives mills, it's the drink of lions and 
horses, and Samson never drank anything else. 
Let young men be teetotalers if only for econo-
my's sake. The beer money will soon build a 
house. If what goes into the mash-tub went into 
the kneading-trough, families would be better fed 
and better taught. If what is spent in waste 
were only saved for a rainy day, work-houses 
would never be built. The man who spends his 
money with the publican, and thinks the landlord's 
bow and " How do ye do, my good fellow ? " 
means true respect, is a perfect simpleton. We 
don't light fires for the herring's comfort, but to 
roast him. Men do not keep pot-houses for the 
laborers' good; if they do, they certainly miss 
their aim. Why then should people drink " for 
the good of the house?" If I spend money for 
the good of any house, let it be my own, and not 
the landlord's. It is a bad well into which you 
must put water; and the beer house is a bad • 
friend because it takes your all and leaves you 
nothing but headaches. 
He who calls those his friends who let him sit 
and drink by the hour together is ignorant—very 
ignorant. Why, red lions, and tigers, and eagles, 
and vultures are all creatures of prey, and why 
do so many put themselves within the power of 
their jaws and talons? Such as drink and live 
riotously and wonder why their faces are so 
blotchy and their pockets so bare, would stop 
wondering if they had two grains of wisdom. 
They might as well ask an elm tree for peas as 
to look to loose habits for health and wealth. 
Those who go to the public house for happiness 
climb a tree to find fish.—Spurgeon. 
" I NEVER suffer arden spirits to be in my house, 
thinking them evil spirits; and if the poor 
could see the white livers, dropsies, and shattered 
nervous systems which I have seen as a conse-
quence of drinking, they would be aware that 
spirits and poison are synonymous terms.—Sir 
Astley Cooper. 
atmptrance, 
Is Beer Healthful ? 
346 �
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. �VoL. 9, No. 29. 
(Tilt �
trirte 
“rr0-1).A.Y." 
Ax ! real thing of bloom and breath 
I cannot love you while you stay; 
Put on the dim, still charm of Death, . 
Fade I o a phantom, float away, 
And let me call you Yesterday ! 
Let empty flower-dust at my feet 
Remind me of the buds you wear; 
Let the birds' quiet show how sweet 
The far-off singing made the air, 
And let your dew through frost look fair. 
In mourning you I shall rejoice. 
Go, for the bitter word may be 
A music—in the vanished voice; 
And on the dead face I may see 
How bright its frown has been to me. 
Then in the haunted grass I'll sit, 
Half tearful in your withered place, 
And watch your lovely shadow flit 
Across To-morrow's sunny face, 
And vex her with your perfect grace. 
So, real thing of bloom and breath, 
I weary of you while you stay; 
Put on the dim, still charm of Death, 
Fade to a phantom, float away, �
• 
And let me call you Yesterday. 
—Atlantic. 
"Making" Children Happy. 
HAPPINESS is the natural condition of every 
normal child, and if the small boy or girl has a 
peculiar facility for any one thing it is for self en-
tertainment, with certain granted conditions, of 
course. One of these is physical freedom and a 
few rude or simple things that can be used con-
structively. Agreeable occupation is as great a 
necessity for children as for adults, and beyond 
this almost nothing can be contributed to the real 
happiness of a child. The costliest dolls ever 
made have not yielded a tithe of the bliss that 
have rag dolls, or those other quaint images made 
of corn husks, while all the agglomeration of toys 
that German ingenuity invents can never be 'com-
pared to the mud-pies or snow-huts of country 
youngsters, or to the first rude things constructed 
by them with the aid of jack-knife and hammer. 
Fashionable young women never wear chains of 
gold, or ornaments of ruby or pearl, with more 
pride and enjoyment than do the little conntry 
maidens their necklaces of loops of grasses or pine 
needles, strung with the scarlet berries of the rose, 
or the pearly. balls of the snow-drop-tree. It is not 
the reality of the thing so much as what the im-
agination conjures that yields pleasure. And it is 
for this reason that the children of the humbler 
and of the unpampered classes are far happier 
than are the children whose created wants are 
legion, and for the satisfaction of which a fortune 
is required. If there is anything worthy of being 
envied it is a simple childhood, unrestrained, but 
judiciously guided, which leaves the tastes and 
fancies strong, and keen, and free for the experi-
ences of the future. 
" I try so hard to make my children happy! " I 
heard a mother sigh one day, in despair. at her 
efforts. 
Stop trying," exclaimed a practical friend at 
her elbow, " and do as my neighbor does." 
" And how is that ? " she asked, dolefully. 
Why, she simply lets her children grow and 
develop naturally, only directing their growth 
properly. Her children never hear their mother 
talk of dress, only that it should be neat and tidy. 
They are taught to do right for righteousness' 
sake, and not for any prize or bribe. Now if you 
will allow me to criticise your method, I would 
say that in some particulars you are all wrong. 
You have already begun to talk to your daughter 
of what you intend to make and ' fix' for her to 
wear another season. After you have atranged 
her toilet for the afternoon, you say, ' Ah, that 
looks sweet,' or ' that looks lovely,' or it looks 
like a fright,' until the child has come, at nine 
years of age, to be far more concerned about her 
dress than any other earthly thing, and to hold 
all other small women in contempt who are not as 
finely attired as herself. Then, when you were 
going shopping this morning, you promised to buy 
something for her if she would be a good girl, etc. 
That, I observe, happens every time you leave 
your children; some sort of a bribe is offered for 
their good behavior, as if good behavior did not 
pay for itself. When you came home at night 
you began to rattle off what you had bought for 
them. The loveliest this, and the sweetest that, 
and the little brains were excited over the pur-
chases, so that you had an hour's trouble to get 
the children asleep. Before you came home they 
were wondering what you would bring them, and 
their chief desire seemed to be in regard to the 
goodies, instead of having their mother again. 
Now my neighbor's children are uncommonly 
happy ones, just as strong-willed as yours, and 
would be just as difficile and ' nervous' if their 
training had not been so different. She has al-
ways thrown them so far as practicable upon their 
own resources, taught them to wait upon them-
selves, no matter how many servants she had, and 
to construct their own playthings. Not five dol-
lars have been spent in toys for the whole five 
children. When she returns home from an ab-
sence there is never any query as to what she 
will bring them ; they await but one thing, their 
mother's kiss. Whatever has been bought for 
them is bestowed when the needed time comes. 
Nothing exciting is allowed to them at night, and 
they.go to bed and to sleep in a wholesome men-
tal state that insures restful slumber. They are 
taught to love nature, and to feel that there is 
nothing arrayed so finely as the lily of the field, 
the bees, and the butterflies, that there is nothing 
so mean as a lie, nor anything so miserable as dis-
obedience, that it is a disgrace to be sick, and that 
good health, good teeth, and good temper, come 
from plain food, plenty of sleep, and ' being 
good.' Of course, this happy state of things has 
been brought about by line upon line, and precept 
upon precept, and firmness. The result is that 
her method develops the best impulses and traits 
of character in her children. With your course 
you develop traits that tend to selfishness, to self-
consciousness, to artificial tastes and wants, to 
exactions and expectations which, in the long run, 
are 'belittling,' to use a homely expression." 
Of course, my lady was not overpleased with 
the practical preachment, but she was frank 
enough to confess that her own course had been a 
failure. And there are thousands of women like 
her, trying with equal sincerity to do something 
continually to make their children contented and 
happy, and who never seem to comprehend 
that children, like flowers, in order to thrive re-
quire a certain amount of " letting alone." Su-
preme faith in the mother, few toys, no finery, 
plain food, no drugs, and early to bed, are the 
best things for " making " the children happy.—
/Vary Wager-Fisher in Christian Union. 
Poor Johnny. 
WE became acquainted on the cars, Johnny 
and I, sufficiently acquainted, at least, to ex-
change smiles occasionally. He was going to the 
city, accompanied by his father, and mother, and 
aunt, and the trip was evidently an important 
event in his young life. It amused me to watch 
him, he was such a bright, active little fellow, 
and so brimful of fun; but my amusement soon 
turned to pity. The elder members of the party, 
nice, genteel-looking people, were engrossed in 
conversation, chiefly, I inferred from the frag-
mentary sentences that reached me, concerning 
purchases to be made in town, and soon Johnny, 
finding it somewhat dull, quietly stepped over to 
the opposite seat and began inspecting the bag-
gage. Presently, stepping into the aisle, an um-
brella on his shoulder, a valise in his hand, and a 
roguish twinkle in his eye, he went marching up 
and down with the air of a veteran traveler. But 
be had not gone twice the length of the car be-
fore he was peremptorily commanded to "Sit 
down and keep still." 
" Poor Johnny ! " I said to myself; for it was 
the morning express, and as they and I were the 
only passengers, I could see no reason whatever 
why he should not be allowed to work off some 
of his exuberant playfulness in this harmless 
fashion. ' This, however, was but the beginning 
of Johnny's trials. Returning the valise and 
umbrella to their appointed place, he sat down 
near them, and for the space of five minutes was 
as noiseless as a mouse. But it was impossible 
for the restless little feet to stay long in one place, 
and soon he slipped into the aisle again and went 
softly. tiptoeing back and forth. 
Johnny, I do wish you would keep quiet," 
said his mother, querulously. 
" Johnny, come here and sit down," said his 
father. 
Johnny, with a furtive glance at me as he 
passed, went back! and sat down by his aunt. 
The seat faced the one occupied by his father 
and mother, and soon 1 heard his mother exclaim 
impatiently:— 
" For mercy sake, Johnny, do keep your feet 
off my dress !" Johnny, with an uncomfortable 
little laugh, changed his position. 
" There! now you've got them on mine," said 
his aunt. Johnny, without a word, moved to the 
farther end of the seat, with a look on his bright 
young face that was pitiful to see. For a few 
moments there was silence in the car; the older 
ones bad talked themselves out, and Johnny sat 
in his corner honestly trying to " keep still." 
 
But the grace of idleness is not readily attained 
by a boy 'of nine, and Johnny having nothing 
else to do, began working his facial muscles. To 
avoid seeming to watch him, I turned my eyes 
to the window, but my study of outside scenery 
was speedily interrupted.. �
uh;-. 
" Johnny," said his father sharply— 
" Poor Johnny! What's coming now ? " I said 
to myself— 
. " Johnny, you look perfectly horrid when you 
screw your mouth up that way." 
" Poor Johnny ! " I reiterated; for though the 
stopping of the train and the entrance of other 
travelers gave the boy something new to think 
of, it seemed to me that his day was spoiled. 
This is not a fancy sketch. The picture is 
drawn from life, and my observation of the treat-
ment of children by their elders leads me to fear 
that Johnny has many " companions in misery." 
I am just reminded of an incident that came 
under my. notice a few years ago. The train 
had been delayed at a desolate little station in the 
wilds of New Jersey, and while older passengers 
fretted and complained at the detention, two 
children beguiled the time in picking wayside 
blossoms. It was a dry and sandy soil, and the 
few flowers that had struggled into life along the 
embankments were pale and puny-loOking, but 
the two little ones, pale and puny as the flowers 
themselves, gathered them with an eagerness 
that was almost pathetic, and putting them to-
gether in a loose, inartistic bunch, came back 
smiling and happy to the platform, where their 
father stood. He was a rough, ill-natured looking 
man, and as the children drew near be greeted them 
with an ugly frown, and catching sight of the 
flowers snatched them away and tossed them 
into the sand. The grieved aspect of the little 
creatures made my heart ache, but I found that 
they had no intention of giving up their treasures 
without a struggle, for the moment their father's 
back was turned they sped down the steps and 
hurriedly gathered them up. It was " love's la-
bor lost," however, for they had hardly succeeded 
in putting them together again when the same 
rough hand grasped them, and, as if to make 
sure of their not regaining them, threw them 
under the very center of the cars. The defrauded 
little ones gazed at each other with hopeless faces; 
but presently their father was called to the other 
end of the platform, and the next instant, to my 
horror, the elder girl darted between the wheels. 
I fairly held my breath as I watched her, and 
when I saw her emerge in safety, holding tightly 
the precious nosegay in her grimy little hands, a 
small sea-fog seemed suddenly to dim my vision. 
The whistle sounded a few moments later, and 
in the rush for seats. I lost sight of my little 
waifs, and so had not the satisfaction of knowing 
whether or not they were allowed to keep the 
treasures recovered at such peril; but •I never 
recall the incident without a flush of indignation. 
Few fathers, I am sure, and fewer mothers, would 
be capable of such cruelty; but coarse and brutal 
parents are not the only ones who defraud their 
children of the wayside flowers.—Aunt Marian, 
in Advance. 
You often hear boys and girls say words4when, 
 
they are vexed that sound as if made up of a 
snarl, a whine, and a bark. Such a voice often 
expresses more than the heart feels—often, even 
in mirth, and it sticks to him through life. Such 
people get a sharp voice for home use, and keep 
their best voice for those they meet elsewhere. 
I would say to all boys and girls, " Use your guest 
voice at home." Watch it day by day, as a pearl 
of greit price, for it will be •worth more to you 
than the best pearl in the sea. A kind voice is a 
lark's song to a hearth at home. Train it to sweet 
tones now, and it will keep in tune through life. 
—Child's Guide. 
"A SOFT answer turneth away wrath." 
Religious Notes. 
—The Catholic Review speaks of a priest who re-
cently died, as having been " a loyal servant of Mary 
and Peter." Compared with these two, Christ is of but 
little account among Catholics. 
Mr. J. C. Hartshorn, of Providence, R. I., proposes 
to erect at Richmond, Va., a building, at a cost of 
$20,000, for the education of colored girls, the school 
to be controlled by the Baptists. 
—At one of the Episcopal churches in Chicago on a 
recent Sunday, a solemn requiem sung for the repose 
of the soul of a young man recently drowned in the 
lake, took the place of the sermon. 
—A council of Congregational ministers and laymen 
recently refused to install Rev. Charles W. Park as 
pastor of a Congregational Church in New Haven, 
Conn., because he did not believe in infant baptism. 
ay-Archbishop Wood, of Philadelphia, has commended 
to the faithful a " great incentive to devotion." It is 
a " luminous crucifix," which, after being treated with 
"Cerqui's Chemical ompound," continues to be lumi-
nous throughout the night. 
A sermon preached in one of the Oakland churches 
a few Sundays ago was deemed worthy of a place in 
the next morning's paper, because that in it the pastor 
had " so beautifully expressed the views of his listeners." 
That is now the test of a good sermon, and is in fulfill-
ment of 2 Tim. 4 : 3. The Bible standard of preaching 
is quite different, and is given in Isa. 58 :1. 
—It is announced that French troops made an at-
tack upon the Chinese, at Ha Noi, on the 19th ult., capt-
uring seven pieces of artillery, and killing 1,000 of 
the enemy, with a loss to the French of only eleven 
men. 
—The jury in the case of Ex-Treasurer Polk, of Ten-
nessee, has pronounced him guilty of embezzlement, 
fixing the penalty at imprisonment in the State Prison 
for twenty years, and a fine to the full amount of the 
embezzlement, which was over $200,000. 
Governor Crittenden, of Missouri, recently wrote a 
letter to the Police Board of St. Louis, in which he 
says that the Sunday Law has been declared constitu-
tional by the Supreme Court, and that it must and 
shall be enforced. The letter intimates that the mem-
bers of the Board must either execute the law or resign. 
The town of Braidwood, Ill., has been the scene of 
another coal mine disaster. A fire started in a repair 
shop, and spread to the engine buildings over the 
mouth of the shaft. The burning timbers of these 
buildings were precipitated to the bottom of the mine, 
filling it with flame and smoke. The men in the mine 
escaped with difficulty. The stables, containing about 
forty horses and mules, were consumed. 
A terrible accident occurred, July 27, on the Rome, 
Watertown, and Ogdensburg Railroad, near Carlyon, 
N. Y., about forty miles east of Lewiston. It was 
night, and a storm was raging. The wind had blown a 
freight car from a side track on to the main track, 
with which the express car collided. The engine, bag-
gage car, and two sleepers were demolished, twenty-
two persons were killed, and thirty-five wounded. 
—The town of Cassamicciola, on the island of Ischia, 
near Naples, was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, 
on the evening of the 29th ult. The neighboring towns 
were also greatly damaged. There were at the place 
many visitors from Rome and Naples, and latest ac-
counts place the number of killed at 3,000. This may 
be too high an estimate, but the earthquake was one of 
the most severe ever known in that part of the world. 
—The record of storms for last week was fully up to 
the average. The severest was in eastern Dakota,' 
where several persons were killed, many houses demol-
ished, and thousands of acres of crops ruined. At Red-
field nine persons were reported killed, and fifty 
wounded. The storm was equally severe in Minnesota. 
In one instance a passenger train overturned, and 
twenty or thirty persons injured. Severe storms also 
occurred in various parts of the East. 
—The strike of the telegraph operators still continues, 
although one company, the American Rapid, has 
yielded. The Western Union refuses to make any con-
cession, claiming that they are suffering no inconven-
ience from the strike, although suits have been entered 
against it by business men who have suffered loss on 
account of delay in messages. Government business is 
now done by mail instead of telegraph. A telegram 
from Washington to San Francisco, was received one 
hour after a letter that was sent from the same place 
and at the same time. 
bituarg. 
AUGUST 2, 1883. �TII �
11, SIGNS OF TAI �
1-1: TIMES. �
347 
—Bishop Colenso, of Natal, Soutn Africa, was engaged 
up to the time of his death, which occurred recently, 
in preparing " a Zulu translation of Pilgrim's Prog-
ress,' which was being printed on his own press, by 
Kaffir compositors." The Sunday-School limes states, 
also, that a Chinese edition of this book has recently 
appeared, with characteristic Chinese illustrat ions. 
The Saloon-keepers' Association of Kansas City, 
Mo., has decided to conform strictly to the Downing 
law, both as regards high license and closing on Sun-
days. They, however, determined that if compelled 
to close on Sunday they will see that the Sunday Law 
is enforced against all other business and work. The 
Association comprises about three-fourths of the saloon-
keepers of the city. 
—The Board of Managers of the Citizen's Observance 
Association of Brooklyn, N. Y., have had printed leaf-
lets entitled "Our Day of Rest," by W. H. Ingersoll, 
and "Save the Day," by the Rev. J. 0. Peck. Two 
men are engaged distributing these leaflets at the wharf 
where the excursion steamers leave Sunday morning, 
and in the afternoon at the Long Island R. R. Depot. 
Over ten thousand copies have been distributed this 
season. 
—One of the New York religious journals speaks 
thus of the Universalist organ, the Christian Leader: 
"The Christian Leader is an excellent paper. We do 
not believe one bit in its theology, but we do thoroughly 
believe in its spirit, as we heartily appreciate its evi-
dent sincerity. We wish our contemporary a pleasant 
trip along the road that leads to Jerusalem." Queries: 
If the Christian Leader is leading its followers along 
the wrong path, how is it that they can get to the 
(New) Jerusalem ? and if it is on the road to Jeru-
salem, must not its theology be correct? and in that 
case, why does not its Christian contemporary believe 
in it ? It strikes us that there is inconsistency here. 
—A correspondent of the Examiner writes that con-
siderable interest is being manifested in .the question 
whether churches ought to celebrate the Lord's Supper 
in the absence c,f an ordained minister. He says: 
" Many Canadian churches think it important to cele-
brate the ordinance every Lord's Day, and regard the 
obligation to obey Christ's injunction more binding 
than any particular method of doing it." We have 
been wondering where Christ's injunction to celebrate 
the Lord's Supper every week might be found, and 
have solved the question. It is found in the same 
passage that contains the commandment to observe 
the first day of the week as the Sabbath or Lord's Day. 
—The following is from the Christian Union: "Creeds 
have put themselves in the place of the Bible. Under 
a plea of interpreting sacred Scripture, they have de-
manded of the faithful that they shall see the Scripture 
only through the creed. Even to-day no clergyman on 
trial for heresy in any national or provincial church 
would be allowed to defend himself by showing that 
tike creed and the Bible were at disagreement. It is 
notblawful in a church court to appeal from the creed 
to the Bible. A licentiate in swearing to accept the 
creed agrees to regard it as the substance of Scripture. 
. Creeds that began merely as expository became manda-
tory. When the church held the tstate in its hands, 
the creed became arbiter of one's liberty, property, and 
life. Thousands have been slaughtered for denying the 
dogma of transubstantiation. 
—" Is the first day of the week to be kept strictly 
holy, as was the seventh day of old, when the Hebrew 
had explicit instructions from his prophet to seek not 
his own pleasure therein ? or is it to be a day of that 
kind of rest which is not incompatible with recreation ? 
This question is one that neither law nor religious 
'dogma is ever likely to save individual conscience the 
trouble of deciding."—Christian at Work. Quite cor-
rect; but why will not law settle the question as to 
how the Sunday should be observed, since the question 
as to how man should regard his M aker is settled by 
law ? Why will not law be as efficient in one case as 
in another ? The answer is obvious: Because there is 
no law regulating Sunday observance, or even requiring 
such observance in the slightest degree. But Paul says 
that " where no law is, there is no transgression:" and 
that is why we do not keep Sunday. 
—Dr. D. D. Whedon, commenting on the statement 
of President Schimd of Wurtemberg, that no new 
species has appeared on the earth since the creation of 
man, concludes that " we are now in the cosmical Sab-
bath of God," and that "the creative days of Moses 
were therefore cosmic days," and says: "This view 
spreads the surface of the earth before us as the area 
of a definite period, an aeon, a, dispensation. It is 
man's day, in which he is ruler over the earlier races 
that waited his advent. And man is not merely a 
somatic-psychical being, but a somatic-i sychic-pneu-
matic being. He is endowed with capacities and in-
tuitions, correlating him with supernal existence." 
With this simple explanation nobody has any excuse 
for misunderstanding the first chapter of Genesis. 
And the Christian at Work brings up the rear as fol-
lows: " This is the prevalent teleological view since the 
144-hour theory of creation which was held fifty years 
ago faded into nothingness." Bah! 
News and Notes. 
—Cetewayo, the Zulu King, is dead. 
—Great floods have caused much damage in Buenos 
Ayres. 
—A fire at Colusa, Cal., July 26, destroyed $100,000 
worth of property. 
—The Apaches are again at their work of murder 
and robbery, in Arizona. 
It is stated that there is a prospect of an excellent 
harvest in Ireland this year. 
General Ord, of the United States Army, died of 
yellow fever at Vera Cruz, July 22. 
A refinery for whale oil is soon to be erected in San 
Francisco. About $200,000 will ne invested. �
• 
—An explosion occurred in a mine at Caltanisetta, 
Sicily, and thirty-five miners out of seventy were killed. 
—Francisco Barco, the Spanish Minister to the 
United States, committed suicide in New York, July 29. 
Seventy-five rafts, containing 3,175,000 feet of lum-
ber, were swept from their moorings at Pittsburg, July 
29, by a freshet in the Alleghany River. 
—At a lawn party at Joliet, Ill., July 25, over 100 
persons were poisoned by the flavoring extract con-
tained in the ice-cream. 
—A Chicago policeman shot and mortally wounded 
a little boy last week because he was " too near a car 
containing watermelons." 
—The large works of the Howe Sewing Machine 
Company at Bridgeport, Conn., were nearly destroyed 
by fire, July 26. Loss, about $350,000. 
Captain Webb, the English swimmer, attempted to 
swim down the rapids in Niagara River, below the falls, 
last week, and was drowned in the whirlpool. 
The death rate from cholera ,in several cities in 
Egypt, is still up in the hundreds each day. It is stated 
that the disease has made its appearance in Russia. 
—Mormon elders have been extending their mission-
ary work to Ireland, and already twenty converts from 
that far-off country are on their way to Salt Lake. 
Steps are being taken to introduce the cable sys-
tem of street railroads in New York City. A company 
has been formed with a capital stock of $2,500,000. 
—Typhoid fever has become epidemic among the in-
mates of the Catholic Orphan. Asylum near San Rafael, 
Cal. Sixty cases are now reported and several have 
proven fatal. 
It is reported that Germany has refused to con-
clude a treaty admitting Turkey to the triple alliance, 
but has promised assistance should the Porte appeal 
for aid or protection. 
—It is estimated that 40,000 barrels of beer are con-
sumed every Sunday in St. Louis, which, with, the 
whisky and wines, probably make an aggregate cost to 
consumers of over $60,000. 
—Sixty-five people were drowned, July 23, by the 
giving way of a pier on the Patapsco, about ten miles 
from Baltimore. The victims were excursionists who 
were about to board a steamer. 
—The finest block in Minneapolis, Minn., was de-
stroyed by fire on the 29th ult. Loss $350,000. The 
same day ten business buildings at Lincoln, Neb., were 
burned, causing a loss of $250,000. 
—At Syracuse, N. Y., on the 23d ult., eight men en-
tered a blast furnace to construct a new lining, when 
the old lining, consisting of several tons of brick and 
mortar, fell on them, killing them instantly. 
—The French Chamber of Deputies has granted the 
credit of 50,000 francs asked for by the Government to 
pay the expenses of a scientific commission which is to 
be sent to Egypt to investigate the cholera epidemic. 
—A wind and rain-storm did great damage to the 
buildings of Exeter, Ont., on the 23d ult. On the 
same day a house near Eaton Rapids, Mich., was de-
molished by a cyclone, and four of its inmates killed. 
MARTIN.—Died, in Woodland, Cal., July 23, 1883, 
James W. Martin, aged 12 years, 9 months, and 20 days. 
His disease was round-celled sarcoma, a species of 
cancer. It commenced on him over a year ago, and he 
underwent four severe and dangerous operations. One 
eye was sacrificed, but all efforts to stay it were vain. 
James was a good boy, having the respect of all who 
knew him, and beloved of his Sabbath-school teacher. 
He was baptized and united with the Seventh-day 
Adventist Church in May last. He was firm in the 
faith, and was much cheered with the thought that he 
should remain in the grave only a little while. He 
was patient in his affliction, and retained his senses to 
the last hour, exhorting his parents, brothers, and sis-
ters to be faithful and meet him in the morning of the 
resurrection. 
Funeral at the S. D. A. house in Woodland, July 24. 
Remarks on 1 Thess. 4 .13-18. There was a large at- 
tendance of sympathizing friends. �EDITOR. 
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 ana 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. 
.A8drese, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal 
THOUGHTS ON REVELATION, 
JL �
CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL. 
BY ELD. U. SMITH. 
THIs work presents every verse in the book of Revelation, with such 
remarks as serve to illustrate or explain the meaning of the text. It is a 
new and harmonious exposition of that important book, and is designed 
to create an interest in its study. 
418 pp. $1.25. �
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal- 
• 
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, 
Michigan. 
MRS. ELIZA PALMER, Sec. N. E. Tract 
Society, South Lancaster, Mass. 
S. E. WHITEIS, Sec. Nebraska T. & M. Society, Fremont, Nebraska. 
ELD. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, RAVENS-
wood, Shirley Road, Southamp-
ton, England. 
MRS. C. L. BOYD, Salem, Oregon. 
348 �
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. �
Vol- 9, No. 29. 
Ebe *iglu of tke Ciao. 
OAKLAND, CAL., FIFTH-DAY, JULY 26, 1883: 
Time of Camp-Meetings. 
VIRGINIA, New Market, �
Aug. 9-14 
KANSAS, Bull City, Osborne Co., �" 9-20 
OHIO, Galion, Crawford Co., �
" 14-21 
IowA, Smithland, �
" 16-20 
" Algona, �
" 23-28 
MASSACHUSETTS, �
" 23-28 
VERMONT, Montpelier, �Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 
MICHIGAN, Manton, Wexford Co., �
" �
6 6 
MAINE, Waterville, �
Sept. 6-11 
CALIFORNIA, San Jose, �
" 6-18 
ILLINOIS, �
" 11-18 
NEW YORK, �
" 19-25 
NEBRASKA, Crete,, �
" 19-25 
MISSOURI, �
Sept. 25 to Oct. 2 
INDIANA, Bunker Hill, Marion Co , �
Oct. 1-10 
KENTUCKY, Glasgow, �
" 2-9 
ALABAMA, Choctaw Co. 
THE post-office address of Eld. and Mrs. C. L. Boyd 
is changed from Salem to East Portland, Oregon. �
. 
THE dedication of the new building for the Healds-
burg College will take place Sunday, Aug. 5. 
SEE Eld. Il askell's article in this paper headed " The 
Calling of God." Look for a further notice of this next 
week. 
THE accident in Western New York in which Prof. 
Stone was killed was worse than at first reported. Mrs. 
Prof. Stone was among the wounded; and Mrs. B. Salis-
bury, of Battle Creek, reported injured beyond recovery. 
Death of Prof. C. W. Stone. 
ON Friday last there was a terrible accident in West-
ern New York, on the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdens-
burg Railroad. We are pained beyond expression to 
learn by the daily papers that among the killed was 
Bro. C. W. Stone, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Bro. 
Stone was well known to our people throughout the 
East, both as a teacher and a minister. During the 
past year or more he had been more than usually 
earnest in religious work, and had greatly endeared 
himself to the churches. 
We have no opportunity to learn particulars at pres-
ent, but will be able to give them next week. This 
casualty will cast a gloom over the minds of his many 
friends, especially in Vermont, the State of his birth, 
and in Battle Creek, where he has resided for some time. 
California Camp-Meeting. 
IT has been decided to hold this meeting Sept. 6 to 
18. This will give ten full days for meetings beside 
the opening and closing days; none too long for the bus-
iness and spiritual interests of this large Conference. 
Our State is so large, and the climate so varied in dif-
ferent localities, that it is a matter of no small difficulty 
to time a camp-meeting so as to meet the circumstances 
of all. The last two proved to be too late for the seasons. 
After securing the refusal of the ground at San Jose, 
and deciding to accept it, it was learned that it would 
be otherwise occupied the latter part of September. 
Rather than go over to October as was done before, it 
was decided to appoint as has been done—Sept. 6 to 18. 
This may prove to be providential. Although the 
weather in California in the fall is very uncertain, as 
the last two years have proved, we may reasonably 
count on favorable weather at the time appointed for 
our meeting. 
And now let all prepare at once to attend it. The 
times are eventful, and auspicious for our work. We 
look for the largest and best meeting we have ever had 
in this State. And remember, that the best meeting is 
that which does most i o help on the cause of Go I. Let 
us come to work in the meeting, and seeking a fitting 
up to work better after the meeting. 
Yes, " We Would See It." 
THE Christian Herald, Disciple, copies our notice 
of its assertion that the Scriptures teach a weekly corn- 
mun ion, and the admission of McGarvey that they do 
not teach it, and attempts to reply as follows:— 
" We would ask the SIGNS how he knows that females 
have any right at all to commune ? for there is 'no 
command that they should do so, and no express state- 
If the Herald still claims the distinction contained 
in its question, we will trace its position to a logical 
conclusion. 
There -is proof that a church privilege for a part is 
a privilege for the whole. But has no such proof for 
weekly communion. It very unjustly says we garbled 
McGarvey. We deny it, and affirm that it has not 
shown, it, neither has it given a word of proof of its 
position from McGarvey. Prof. McGarvey thinks that 
the apostolic church " had some regular interval " for 
the celebration of the supper, but admits that the New 
Testament does not say so. He bases his conclusion 
on two points: (1) That there is no evidence in favor 
of monthly, quarterly, or yearly communion; therefore 
weekly communion must have the preference, though 
there is no New Testament evidence for it! Thi, is 
exactly his position, according to the two quotations. 
(2) Antiquity teaches that communion was observed 
weekly in the second century, and considered it a cus7 
torn of apostolic appointment; and yet confesses that 
the apostles said nothing about it! 
Does the Herald editor think that he has given any 
proof from McGarvey ? He has given his opinion, and 
this is based on the opinion of men who lived in the 
second cer.tury. But just exactly such evidence as 
that is furnished for every dogma of the Catholic 
Church; for infant baptism, for trine immersion, for 
infant communion, and everything of that kind. 
The Herald started out with the profession of speak-
ing where the Bible speaks, and keeping silent where 
the Bible is silent, and lands on a doctrine based on the 
opinion of 1VIcGarvey, for N, hich he offers the opinion 
of " antiquity " with the confession that t he Bible says 
nothing about it ! " 0, consistency !" It is not found 
in the Herald. 
,ppoirttntent5, 
California Camp-Meeting. 
IT has now been decided to hold the camp-meeting 
for northern California at San Jose, Sept. 6-18. It will 
be held upon the fair-ground, near the depot of the 
Narrow-Gauge Railroad. The horse-cars which pass 
the railroad station also pass the camp-ground. The 
ground is level and covered with shade trees, presenting 
a beautiful grove in which to pitch family tents. Only 
one spot is large enough for the tent 60x100 ft. Had 
the ground been designed on purpose for the camp-meet-
ing, it could scarcely have been improved. The com-
mittee will do everything possible to make it comforta-
ble and to accommodate all that come. 
We hope this will be the largest camp-meeting ever 
held in the State of California; and in many respects it 
certainly will be the most important. Provision will 
be made for man and beast. 
CAMP-MEETING COMMITTEE. 
California Conference. 
California Tract and Missionary Society,.., 
THE thirteenth annual session of the Tract and Mis-
sionary Society will convene on the camp-ground, at 
San Jose, in connection with the camp-meeting, Sept. 
6-18,1883. 
Not only the missionary work of this Conference and 
the Ship Mission, located at San Francisco, but the 
foreign missions, and what can be done for the islands 
of the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and New Zealand, will 
be considered. Many important questions which per-
tain to the missionary work, that wil I interest all, will 
be considered. �S. N. HASKELL, President. 
New England Camp-Meeting. 
THE camp-meeting of the New England Conference 
of Seventh-day Adventists will be held on the Fair 
ground, in the city of Worcester, Mass., Aug. 23-28. 
We expect this will be the largest gathering of our peo-
ple that has ever convened at any one meeting in the 
New England States. In some respects it will be the 
most important. Eld. Geo. I. Butler from Iowa, Pres-
ident of the General Conference, Elder I. D. Van Horn, 
formally President of the North Pacific Conference, 
and Mrs. E. G. White, from Oakland, Cal., are among 
the speakers who will be present. The school interests 
of this Conference, the foreign missions that will be 
considered, and the advance steps which are being 
taken this season in the work of present truth, will 
make this meeting an important one, and one of un-
usual interest to all of the friends of the cause. Every
. 
company of Seventh-day Adventists in the N. E. Con-
ference should be represented, and all those living 
alone should attend as far as consistent. All friends of 
the Christian religion desiring a good spiritual meeting 
are especially invited. Reduction of fare on all rail-
roads, as heretofore, is expected. Those coming through 
Boston, and from Boston will come over the, Fitchburg 
and Nashua R. R., leaving the Fitchburg depot in Bos-
ton, about 6, and 11 A. M., and 4 P. M. 
CAMP-MEETING COMMITTEE. 
• 
Illinois Camp-Meeting. 
THE Kankakee and Seneca railroad will sell round 
trip excursion tickets on Sept. 10, 11, and 12 from Kan-
kakee to Seneca, good to return until bept. 21, inclusive, 
for $1.80. And the C. I. St. L. & C. Ry., from St. 
Anne to Seneca and return for $2.20, same limit as 
above. Trains make close connections at Seneca with 
C. R. I. & P. trains for Sheridan via Ottawa. The 
brethren living near the C. & E. I. and Illinois Central 
railroads will please make note of above arrangements. 
B. R. NORDYKE, 
Tray. Agt. C. I. St. L. & a Ry. 
THE NATURE AND TENDENCY OF 
MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 
By ELD. J. H. WAGGONER. 
Tins is a thorough expose 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, CV" 
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES, 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, �
P30 THE 
Missionary Society of Seventh-day Adventists. 
A twelve-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the 
Prvilecies, Signs of the Times, 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, �
- �
- �
- 
In Clubs of five or more copies to one address, to be used in Mis-
sionary Work, 
Address, �SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. 
-OR- 
ment that they did so.' When the SIGNS answers thi 
question we will tell him how we know the Scripture 
require weekly communion. 
" But we give the above extract for the single purpos 
of setting the garbled extract from McGarvey's Com-
mentary in its true light before our readers. In the 
next paragraph following the one from which our con-
temporary quotes, Bro. McGa,rvey says:— 
"‘ As a practical issue between the advocates of 
weekly communion and their opponents, the question 
really has reference to the comparative weight of evi-
dence in favor of this practice, and of monthly, quar-
terly, or yearly communion. When it is thus pre-
sented, no one can long hesitate as to the conclusion; 
for in favor of either of the intervals last mentioned 
there is not the least evidence, either in the New Tes-
tament, or in the uninspired history of the churches. 
On the other hand, it is the universal testimony of 
antiquity that the churches of the second century 
broke the loaf every Lord's day, and considered it a 
custom of apostolic appointment. Now it can not be 
doubted that the apostolic churches had some regular 
interval at which to celebrate this institution, and 
seeing that all the evidence there is in the case is in 
favor of a weekly celebration, there is no room for a 
reasonable doubt that: this was the interval which they 
adopted.' " 
This is a very feeble evasion. We know that females 
have a right to commune because they are followers 
of Christ; " have put on Christ," and are members of 
his body; and that in his body " there is neither Jew 
nor Greek,-there is neither bond nor free, there is neither 
male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." 
THE twelfth annual session of the California Confer-
ence of Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connec-
tion with the camp-meeting at San Jose, Sept. 6-18. 
This will be as important a session as was ever held in 
s California. Every company of Seventh-day Adventists 
s in the Conference should be well represented. Dele- 
gates should be chosen so that the wants of all parts of 
e the field may be known, and future labor arranged ac-
cordingly. Individuals living alone, who cannot attend, 
should make known their wants and condition by letter 
addressed to the SIGNS Office. We have reached an im-
portant and interesting time in the history of the cause 
on the Pacific Coast. Advance steps must be taken, 
and now is the time to move forward in the opening 
providence of God. The cloud is rising. The judg-
ments of God are already in the earth. There are many 
indications which show that what is done must be done 
quickly. .We expect to see a general rally of the friends 
from all parts of the State. 
S. N. HASKELL, 
I. D. VAN HORN, 
M. C. ISRAEL, 
California Conference Committee. 
1.50