Instruction Pertaining to the Duties and Responsibilities of Officers and Members
Duties of the Church Missionary Secretary and Treasurer
The work of this officer in the church is very important. He is to stimulate missionary activity, so that the church shall become truly a live, active, working band of Christian believers. He needs much tact, devotion, and sufficient steadfastness and courage resolutely to surmount obstacles and steadily to go forward in the work set for him by the Master.
Questions often arise between different officers in the church regarding their work, as to what duties are expected of them, where their responsibilities begin and end; in other words, what they should and should not do. It sometimes occurs that even authorities, or those supposed to be authority, do not agree altogether upon every point; so it is difficult to lay down fixed rules that will govern in every case. But certain principles should be observed, and all may be governed by them as different circumstances and conditions may indicate.
Where a church elects one individual for missionary secretary, and another for treasurer, the question has arisen as to who should handle the funds of the church. Should the treasurer take charge of all the funds, or should the mission secretary collect for supplies ordered for the church by him, and send the same to the State office?
It is a business principle recognized by nearly every one that the responsibility of settlement attaches to that of ordering. In other words, the individual ordering any line of merchandise is expected either to settle bills rendered for the same or to provide for their payment through some other responsible party connected with the firm.
Thus the church missionary secretary should be a person who is judicious and careful, who will not order supplies recklessly of the State tract society, but make careful provision beforehand with every member in the church, so that when accounts fall due, they may be promptly paid. To this end he should keep an accurate account with every individual member who does not pay in advance for supplies ordered. In this case, the State office would open an account with the local society, honoring all orders received from the church missionary secretary, charging the same to the local society account, and crediting it with all money sent in by this officer in payment. This simplifies the work at the State office. Thus the missionary secretary becomes responsible for the collection and payment of all unpaid orders. Cash orders may always be sent by any one. No other officer in the church would like to become responsible for the collection of money to pay the bills of some other officer whose chief duty was to create bills, but who shunned all responsibility in meeting them when they became due. The church treasurer would not like to be held responsible for the payment of accounts for which he had no voice in the matter of creating.
The church treasurer, in the case of a separate officer for this work, would look after the tithe and offerings, or all20money aside from that for the payment of the supplies ordered through the missionary secretary, as already mentioned.
The secretary of the Sabbath-school should order the Quarterly or other supplies through the church missionary secretary, and the pay for the same should be turned over to this officer, to be forwarded with other money on account. All Sabbath-school offerings designed for missions should be paid to the church treasurer by the Sabbath-school secretary, he requiring a receipt for the same. It should be an unvarying rule not to pay money to any one without demanding a receipt, and this receipt should be carefully filed away for future reference, with the papers of record connected with whatever office is held.
In case the offices of the missionary secretary and treasurer are blended into one, and one individual looks after it all, there will be no confusion of duties, but all funds will be handled by the one individual. However, with the revival of the local periodical and tract work, this plan is not the ideal one, as it is generally considered that there is ample work for the two officers in every church; for both carry very important responsibilities.
T. E. BOWEN.
Union College, South Africa
By C. P. Crager
THERE are many encouraging things in our school work. I have done a great deal of correspondence with prospective students and young people in general, and the Lord has blessed it in bringing us some good students. We expect several more for the next quarter. I believe the day is not far distant when this school will again have a good enrolment.
We are meeting our running expenses. We have taken an inventory of our boarding department, and find that it is keeping a little ahead, and is paying the matron’s salary. Our tuition is paying our teachers, and a little over, leaving our room rent for general expenses, and for repairs, which are much needed. We have introduced an innovation into the school in doing our laundry work with student help. It had previously been done with native help. We repaired the laundry, and made connection with the water boiler, so we now have plenty of hot water; we also had a washing-machine made, and can now do good laundry work.
We have started a canvassers’ class with our students, and have just organized a Bible seminar. We also have special studies for the teachers; so our time is indeed well filled. Our brush factory, which has given us considerable anxiety, is now doing nicely. We are making brushes, and have shipped a small order. The prospect for good returns from this department is excellent. We are of good courage.
C. P. CRAGER.
Darling Range School, West Australia
By H. R. MARTIN.
WE believe a word from our school will be of interest, especially as we have been passing through some unusual and unpleasant experiences. At our camp-meeting, held at Lubiaco, which all the students attended, some were ill, and on returning to school an epidemic of typhoid fever occurred. Four persons were seriously ill, one who had heart trouble, dying. I myself had a slight attack, but was about again after a week in bed. It was our “week of prayer,” and it caused us to pray definitely and earnestly, with great searching of heart. It seems that nothing but trials will purge away the dross from our lives. I am glad to be able to say that our sick ones are now nearly well again, and that we are running our school program almost as usual.
We are very busy still with our buildings, and are just starting on a large barn and workshops. We can go ahead only as the money comes in, so have to plan carefully. We are also planting two hundred more young fruit trees, also another patch of strawberries. Owing to our enforced building operations, our vegetable garden has been neglected, but we are planning to give that more attention again now. We are of excellent courage.
H. R. MARTIN.
Duties of the Deacons and Deaconesses
By O. A. OLSEN
As it is the duty of the elder to look after the spiritual welfare of the church, so the deacons and deaconesses are responsible for looking after its business affairs. It is their duty to become acquainted with the members, by systematic visiting, and to render them such assistance as may be required. Some may require advice as to the management of their homes; some may need words of encouragement and cheer; some, practical help in the home or sick-room; some, food; some, clothing; others, work. The deacons and deaconesses should be ready to do all in their power to relieve these needs; and to deal with all such cases successfully much sanctified judgment and tact are required. They should not necessarily do all this themselves, but should solicit such help as they need from the members of the church, thus leading them to become interested in one another’s welfare, and uniting them as brethren indeed.
The poor, or Christian help, fund, should be placed in charge of the deacons and deaconesses, one deacon being appointed to keep the account; and this fund should be used by them to aid those in need. A report of the receipts and expenditures of this fund should be made at each church officers’ meeting, and a report should be presented to the church at each quarterly business meeting.
When the quarterly report is made to the church, the names of those relieved should not be given. It should be stated that so many persons had been supplied with food to the value of so much, so many with cash, and so many with clothing, etc.
Each deacon and deaconess should keep a small book, with the names and addresses of the members, their occupation, and any other particulars that may be helpful to them. In a large church, it would be well to divide the members among themselves, each undertaking to keep in touch with a certain number.
The deaconesses should look after the Dorcas work. The services of some of the young people and children may be secured to collect partly worn and left-off clothing from the wealthier classes, which the deaconesses can make good use of for the poor for whom they may have to care. They should get help from the sisters of the church in repairing and remaking this clothing, either in their homes or by arranging a regular meeting for this purpose at some convenient home.
The deacons should attend to the detail management of the church; should see that it is kept clean and in order; that any strangers attending the services are provided with seats, and, if possible, with hymn-books; and should take the collections.
At the time of the quarterly meeting they should see that there is a sufficient supply of basins, towels, buckets, and water, for the ordinance of humility. The deaconesses should see that a sufficiency of unfermented bread and wine is provided for the Lord’s supper; and that the necessary dishes, decanter, goblets, and linen cloths are provided. The deacons should be ordained as soon as possible after election. They are not entitled to assist in administering the Lord’s supper until this is done.
Recipe for Unfermented Wine
Secure good grapes. The small wine grape is preferable. Strip the grapes from the stem, and stew them in an enameled saucepan till brought to a boiling heat. Drain through a coarse cloth. Then boil the juice for fifteen minutes. Just before it boils, skim off all the scum that rises. Then at boiling heat, pour into strong bottles, which have been thoroughly cleansed, and are kept warm, that they may receive the hot wine without breaking. Fill to within half an inch of the cork, and cork immediately with good, solid corks. Cut off the corks close to the bottle, and seal with sealing-wax. Then set away in a dark place, and do not move it about unnecessarily.
O. A. OLSEN.
Singing as a Part of Our Church Service
By E. K. Slade
It is not our purpose to enter upon a discussion of the merits of music as a means of worship, nor can we take the space in this connection to dwell upon the importance of higher attainment in singing in connection with our church services, but we wish to speak about the importance of exercising care in the appropriateness of the songs chosen, and in the amount of singing that is brought into the services.
Much of our singing is little more than a form. Singing, to be in place in church services, and a means of worshiping God, should be of the right spirit. It is mere mockery to enter into this part of the service in a careless, indifferent, and irreverent spirit. Much depends upon the leader in the manner of announcing the song as to whether the worshipers enter into the song service with proper understanding. It is much better to sing less and sing well and intelligently, than to bring so much singing into the ordinary services.
Upon this point there is need of careful consideration. In the services for the worship of God there is to be perfect freedom, and no binding restrictions are to be placed as to the manner of worship in song or otherwise, yet we may speak in a general way in reference to this matter. We recently visited a church where the singing was very poor. However, they did the best they could. The leaders in the Sabbath-school, as well as in the church services, seemed to feel that it was necessary that there should always be a stated number of songs, and their custom provided for a liberal number, and in each instance the whole song was gone through, even though there were five or six stanzas. It was evident that many were weary before finishing some of these songs.
Many times our Sabbath-schools are made tedious for the children because it is thought that the full number of stanzas must be sung, and the full quota of songs must come in according to the established custom. We should not eliminate from our services the amount of singing that is due and proper, yet many times the services could be much more interesting and much less tedious if but one or two stanzas of an appropriate song could be sung at the proper time.
It is a good thing to hold a song service, where the time would be given largely to singing. But there are many church services that are made especially tedious because the practise of singing many songs is adhered to in connection with the regular services, regardless of their length or of the manner of singing. We have witnessed social meetings in which those who seemed inclined to lead out in singing would consume a large portion of the time. In our Sabbath-schools and in our ordinary church services it would be much better in many places, and more pleasing to God, we believe, if greater care were exercised not to make the singing tedious and irksome.
E. K. SLADE.
A Tyranny
By W. A. C.
[Under the above heading the following editorial appeared in the Washington Post of May 27, 1909, during the time of the late General Conference. The writing of it, it seems, was provoked by the announcement in the daily papers of a recent case of one of our brethren in Tennessee being prosecuted for chopping on Sunday a little wood, with which to cook a meal.—W. A. C.]
“It is a fact that nobody who knows them will attempt to controvert that the members of the religious sect that is designated as Seventh-day Adventists make up a good citizenship. Their cardinal idea is to harm no man; and as a class, they are honest, sober, diligent, and frugal.
“It requires a skilful polemic to confound their faith, a religion that savors more of the pastoral than any other. As their teachers preach it, we find that their doctrine is that good is immortal, and bad is doomed to perish; and where will one find a better faith? When Cain slew his brother, the war between truth and evil began; and in the end, truth must survive, and evil die.21
“The persecution of the Adventist people in one of the Southern States, Tennessee, is a reminder of barbaric ages, when fanaticism ruled in councils of state and set up the gibbet and the stake at every cross-road to vindicate the gospel of Jesus Christ, through tyranny, pain, malice, and murder; and all approved with a text.
“It is the law of Tennessee that the day known as Sunday is the Sabbath, and that only Sunday shall be observed as the Sabbath by any citizen of that State. Even Sir John Falstaff would not give a reason on compulsion, though reasons were as plenty as blackberries. And does the best thought of Tennessee suppose men can be made virtuous and religious by law? And this is the twentieth century, too!
“The worst man you can have in the community is the zealot, who would regulate your morals and religion by his narrow standard of right and wrong.
“Orthodoxy is well enough till it goes on the war-path.”
Christian Liberty
Reports, Notes, and Comments Pertaining to the
Current History of the Rights of Conscience
Conducted by the Religious Liberty Bureau
K. C. RUSSELL 3 3 3 3 Secretary
W. A. COLCORD 3 3 3 3 Assistant Secretary
Current Mention
— Tornadoes in the Mississippi Valley the last week have caused much damage to property, and the death of several persons.
— Prince von Buelow, chancellor of the German empire, retired from office July 14, and was succeeded by Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg.
— In a collision on Lake Superior, July 12, the steamer “John B. Cowie” sank in fifty fathoms of water, carrying with her fourteen of her crew.
— The War Department has sixty-five or more land stations in the United States and insular possessions, for use in connection with the work of the army and navy.
— The Standard Oil Company is about to begin the manufacture of petroleum butter. The new product is said to be of the same consistency as lacteal butter, but brown in color.
— In consequence of a strike of the employees of the Pressed Steel Car Company, near Pittsburg, Pa., July 14, serious rioting occurred, resulting in injury to over one hundred persons.
— Vodka is the strong drink on which Russians get drunk. On the bottles of vodka it has been the custom to have the Russian eagle. But at their last session the Douma ordered this removed, and passed a decree that the skull and crossbones should be on the bottles instead, and the word “poison” in large letters.
— Affairs in Persia are far from having reached a settlement. The revolutionists have gained decided advantage in battle with the royalists, and it seems that the shah will be forced to yield. It is only a question of a short time when the demands for a more liberal government must be granted in Persia, as they have been in Turkey.
— July 11, at Gouverneur, N. Y., in a heavy wind-and-rain storm thousands of small frogs fell, covering sidewalks to such an extent that walking was difficult. The rails on the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg division of the New York Central Railroad for half a mile were covered and rendered so slippery that the speed of trains was materially lessened.
— Not every coin of ancient date is of value or interest, but a gold farthing which brought at auction, in London, on the first day of this month, eighty-three pounds, is of very great interest. It was coined at Carrickfergus, or Downpatrick, about 1185 A. D., by the governor of Ireland, under King Henry II. It has a representation of David playing a harp on one side, and on the other side St. Patrick driving the reptiles out of Ireland.
— The House, July 12, passed the Senate joint resolution providing for the submission to the States of a Constitutional amendment permitting Congress to levy an income tax. As soon as this resolution is signed by President Taft, as it undoubtedly will be signed, since the President recommended such a step to Congress, it will rest with the legislatures of the various States to say whether there shall be an income tax amendment to the Constitution. The vote in the House was decidedly in favor of the resolution, 317 to 14.
— John Goode, the last surviving member of the Confederate Congress, died at Norfolk, Va., July 14, at the age of eighty years.
— Looking back over its seventy-three years of existence, the British Temperance League estimates that the number of abstainers in Great Britain has grown from the almost infinitesimal figure of 130,000 in 1835 to 8,000,000 in 1908.
— The ridiculous farce of holding a funeral for a pet cat was recently enacted in Philadelphia. Fully one thousand persons attended the funeral. The body was embalmed, placed in a rich casket, and buried in due form. Another feline pet was recently purchased by a Chicago woman for $525.
— A novel feature of church music has been introduced into the services of a Cincinnati church. Some thirty-five canary birds are placed in cages hung about the auditorium. These join with the choir in the music rendered. The experiment is said to be very satisfactory, and the effect very pleasing.
— A historic pageant, representing the growth of science and literature in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, brought to a close, July 11, Geneva’s ten-day celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. The festival was the whole world’s, for the nations of the world, through their representatives, united in according homage to the memory of the great thinker and reformer.
— A chair of aviation at the University of Paris has been established upon a fund of $140,000; and in the same university there is the foundation of a department of technical aeronautics, with an endowment of $100,000. It was in that city, and in the year 1783, that the Montgolfiers, by making a successful ascent, attracted the attention of the world to air travel. In addition to this, an annual gift of $3,000 will be received. This was by a Frenchman, but the gift of $140,000 was made by Basil Zakaroff, a Greek resident of Paris.
— To-day there are nine whole States which have outlawed the liquor traffic from their respective borders, with a total population of 16,301,000, and a total area of 477,459 square miles, the last six of which have been added within the last three years. In addition to these nine prohibition States, there are to-day 375 cities under prohibitory law, with a population ranging from 5,000 up to 175,000 each, while two thirds of all the rural or country districts of the remaining States have excluded the saloon under local prohibition privilege.
— As a result of the earnest and self-sacrificing efforts of eminent German scientists who have sounded wide the alarm at the rising tide of intemperance in Germany, a powerful total abstinence movement is developing by leaps and bounds. In 1903, according to the best authorities in Germany, there were 35,000 members of the various temperance societies in Germany. This membership had increased to 55,000 in 1905, and according to the Internationale Monatsschrift, December, 1908, there were 86,000 members in these same organizations at that date. In addition to this, there are thousands of boys and girls enlisted in juvenile temperance societies.
Baptists and Religious Liberty
By F. M. W.
UNDER the heading, “What Have Baptists Done for the World?” M. A. Love, in the Baptist Standard of July 1, says:—
“It was Baptists who petitioned the Colonial Congress to grant religious liberty to all people. John Hancock, president of that congress, granted them the privilege of making their views known to that lawmaking body, thus embracing it himself. General Washington states that it was a Baptist sentiment that fostered the Revolutionary spirit, and that Baptists were first to die in defense of freedom. It was Lewis and Joseph Craig and Aran Bledsoe who were indicted by the king’s attorney, who was an Episcopalian, charging these three men, who were Baptist preachers, guilty of death because they were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was Patrick Henry, who, upon hearing of the trial, rode seventy miles to volunteer to defend them. On entering the court and hearing the king’s attorney read the warrant, reaching out his hand for the paper, he addressed the court: ‘May it please your worship, did I not hear read as I entered the court an indictment against these three inoffensive men for preaching the gospel of the Son of God to Adam’s fallen race?’ Then with pathetic voice he exclaimed in a slow but solemn tone, ‘For preaching the gospel of the Son of God, great God.’ With such power did he speak that the judge ordered the sheriff to release the men.”
In the present-day clamor for religious legislation, and the enactment of religious laws, there will soon be afforded an opportunity to stand for the defense of liberty of conscience similar to that offered in the days of John Hancock. The Baptists in the past have stood nobly many times for the right as against the inroads of church and state principles; where will they stand in the crisis upon which we are now entering?
We can not afford to rest upon the record of our fathers, however glorious that record may be. Our safety lies in strict adherence to the principles of the gospel, following our fathers in so far as they follow Christ, but rejecting tradition and precedent if out of harmony with the truth of God. The world today needs a revival of the Spirit of Roger Williams. F. M. W.
South Carolina, Notice!
By T. H. Jeys
The third annual session of the South Carolina Conference will be held at Anderson, S. C., Aug. 5-15, 1909. The first business meeting will be at 9 A. M., August 6. All members of Seventh-day Adventist churches in South Carolina in good and regular standing are delegates to the conference. We hope for a full representation. Excellent help is promised from abroad. Everything that can be done to make the delegates comfortable will be done by the various committees. We are facing very important questions. Decisions of the gravest importance will be made. Advance steps must be taken. Let all our faithful believers come to this meeting with full determination to get and give the greatest help possible.
T. H. Jeys,
President.
The Ohio Camp-Meeting
By H. D. Holton
The conference committee has selected Lima, in Allen County, as the place in which to hold the camp-meeting, August 19-29. The use of a park one-fourth mile from the union station, with twelve-minute street-car service, has been secured. A large, well-equipped auditorium will be used for assembly purposes, and usual accommodations are at hand, including good drinking water, and lake for baptism. The grounds are well kept, and are but one-half mile from freight depot. Lima is a railroad and traction-line center, affording good connection on five or six roads, and as many traction lines, from all parts of the State.
The Lord has blessed his people in many ways the past year, and has prospered his cause even beyond our expectations. Yet we who are endeavoring to bear this third angel's message to the world are in need of such an opportunity where we may renew our strength and courage. May the Lord so direct your efforts that you may be present at this gathering.
H. D. HOLTON.
Eastern Colorado Camp-Meeting
By J. W. Lair
THE Eastern Colorado Conference and camp-meeting will be held at Boulder, Colo., Aug. 26 to Sept. 5, 1909. We have secured the Chautauqua grounds for this meeting, a beautiful spot located on the side of the mountain overlooking the city. We have the free use of the auditorium and other buildings, but we pay a stated price for each cottage room. All should order rooms or tents at once. Detailed instruction will appear in the Echoes. We are assured of good help from the General Conference. This ought to be the best meeting ever held in Colorado. Come and help us make it so.
J. W. LAIR, President.
Kansas Conference Association
By Chas. Thompson
THE Kansas Seventh-day Adventist Conference Association will hold its next annual meeting at Council Grove, Kan., in connection with the annual camp-meeting, Aug. 19-29, 1909. The first meeting will be called Tuesday, August 24, at 9:15 A. M.
CHAS. THOMPSON, President.
The Kentucky Camp-Meeting
By A. O. Burrill
THE Kentucky camp-meeting and conference will be held at the corner of Magnolia and Brook streets, Louisville, Ky., August 19-29. Street-cars run within two blocks of the grounds. Leave arrangements for transferring baggage until you reach the camp-ground.
A. O. BURRILL, President.
Southern Illinois Conference
By S. E. WIGHT
THE first meeting of the seventh annual session of the Southern Illinois Conference will be held on the camp-ground at Centralia, at 9 A. M., Friday, Aug. 13, 1909. Each church in the conference is entitled to one delegate for the organization, and one for each ten members.
S. E. WIGHT,
President.
The Vermont Conference
By O. Montgomery
THE forty-seventh annual session of the Vermont Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will convene at Richmond, Vt., in connection with the annual camp-meeting, August 19-29. The first session of the conference will be called on Friday, August 20, at 9 A. M. At this meeting officers of the conference for the ensuing year will be elected, and such other business matters considered as will be of interest to the work.
O. MONTGOMERY. President.
Important Notice for New Jersey
By B. F. Kneeland
A LOCAL camp-meeting will be held at Newark, N. J., July 28 to August 1, in connection with the tent effort now in progress. The tent is pitched on South Tenth Street, between Central and Eleventh avenues, and is reached by taking the Central car from the Pennsylvania Railway station, or at Broad and Market streets, Newark. A limited number can secure tent accommodations and furnished beds at reasonable rates. Applications should be made at once to E. E. Pennington, care of Gospel Tent, South Tenth Street, near Central Avenue, Newark, N. J. Prof. B. G. Wilkinson, the president of the Columbia Union Conference, and other efficient helpers will be present. Special attention will be given to studying the problem of reaching our large cities. Let us come together, and seek earnestly for that preparation of heart and mind which is necessary for the finishing of the work.
B. F. KNEELAND,
President.
Eastern Colorado Conference Association, Notice!
By J. W. LAIR
THE first meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist Association of Colorado will convene on the Chautauqua grounds at Boulder, Colo., Monday, Aug. 30, 1909, at 9 A. M. This meeting is called for the election of officers, and for the transaction of any other business that may properly come before the association.
J. W. LAIR, President.
Kentucky Conference Association
By A. O. BURRILL; E. G. HAYES
THE first annual meeting of the Kentucky Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will meet Monday, Aug. 23, 1909, at 9 A. M., at Louisville, Ky. This meeting is called for the election of officers, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the association.
A. O. BURRILL, President,
E. G. HAYES, Secretary.
Southern Illinois Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists
By S. E. WIGHT; R. B. CRAIG
NOTICE is hereby given that a meeting of the Southern Illinois Conference Association will be held on the camp-ground in Centralia at 10 A. M., Friday, Aug. 13, 1909. All accredited delegates of the Southern Illinois Conference are delegates to this association.
S. E. WIGHT, President,
R. B. CRAIG, Secretary.
Kansas Conference
By Chas. Thompson
The thirty-fifth annual session of the Kansas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connection with a ten-days’ camp-meeting at Council Grove, Kan., August 19-29.
At this meeting officers will be elected to carry forward the work the coming year. Reports will be given from the various departments and institutions, and plans considered and adopted for the work in the future. The first meeting of the conference will be Friday, August 20, at 9:15 A. M. This will be a delegate meeting. Each church is entitled to one delegate, and an additional delegate for each fifteen members, or fractional part thereof. We hope every church will elect their delegates at once, and send names to Brother J. A. Westermeyer, 821 West Fifth St., Topeka, Kan., so they can be recorded.
CHAS. THOMPSON,
President.
Indiana Conference, Notice!
By Morris Lukens
Owing to the county fair being held at Newcastle at the time of our camp-meeting, it was thought best to change the place of meeting. After much prayer and counsel we investigated several other places, and Bluffton seemed to be the one upon which our choice should be fixed.
At Bluffton we succeeded in getting a beautiful grove in the residence portion of the city. We have arranged to have the use of a good well of excellent water and other conveniences that go to make comfortable those that will attend the camp-meeting.
Elders Victor Thompson and Thomas H. Hubbard are now holding a series of tent-meetings at Bluffton. They have a good interest, and we believe several will accept the truth.
Bluffton is easy of access from all parts of the State. Besides the two interurban lines, the Clover Leaf Railway, also the Lake Erie and Western Railway, and the Cincinnati, Bluffton, and Chicago Railway pass through that city.