Earlier text: THOUGHTS ON BAPTISM—NO. 13.THE SABBATH HONORED BY CHRIST.
By John Nevins Andrews
JESUS did not violate the Sabbath. Or, to speak more strictly the perfect truth, our Lord kept all the commandments of God and taught men so to do. He testifies that he had kept his Father's commandments. John 15:10. Sin is the transgression of the law; but in Christ there is no sin. 1 John 3:4, 5. He taught the immutability of every jot and tittle of the moral law. He solemnly warned men not to break the commandments, and to teach men so. He promised that those who do and teach them shall be highly honored in the kingdom of God. Matt. 5:17-19. The son of God had his Father's law in his heart. Ps. 40:8. All who are saved by him will have that same law in their hearts also. Jer. 31:33; Luke 22:20; Heb. 8:10. Nor is this all. The New-Testament church are to fulfill the righteousness of the law; i. e., the right doing ordained in the law. Rom. 8:1-7. Such a church will assuredly obey the fourth commandment. The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day. Matt. 12:8. It is no disgrace to the Sabbath that Jesus is its Lord. Indeed, it is no dishonor to the Son of God to be the Lord of the Sabbath. The expression, "Lord even of the Sabbath-day," does certainly imply that it is a very high honor to be Lord of the Sabbath. Nor does it signify that because he is its Lord, he is307 therefore to destroy it. The very opposite is implied. He "died and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." Rom. 14:9. These are his people; and he did all this that he might be their Lord, and thus give them eternal life. As the Lord of the Sabbath, he was the right one to determine what was, and what was not, proper upon the Sabbath. And the very fact that he was engaged with the Father in the creation, shows that he was also concerned with him in ordaining the Sabbath. It is, therefore, with the strictest reason that he claims to be Lord of that institution which God calls my "holy day," the "holy of the Lord" and "honorable." The Sabbath is not an institution unknown to the New Testament, nor is it one peculiar to the New Testament. That book treats it as an existing institution; just as it alludes to the heavens and the earth as something in existence from ancient days. The Lord of the New-Testament church, is the Lord of the Sabbath. He honored it in his life by setting aside, as its Lord, the burdensome traditions by which it was encumbered. He honored it by performing on that day a very large portion of his works of mercy for the distressed. He honored it by teaching his disciples to pray that it should not become necessary for them to flee on that day, some forty years after his death. He honored it by his custom of devout attendance upon the synagogue on that day, from early life till the close of his work. He honored the Sabbath, and himself also, by claiming to be EVEN its Lord. He honored the Sabbath when he, the Lord of the Sabbath, lay in death, and those who had known him most intimately, and understood his teaching most perfectly, desisted from a work of love and reverence for him, not absolutely necessary, that they might rest the Sabbath-day according to the commandment. The book of Acts contains an inspired history of the first generation of the Christian church. It makes several important references to the Sabbath. Thus we read that Paul, having preached in the Jewish synagogue at Antioch on the Sabbath, when the congregation was broken up, was entreated by the multitude that these same words might be preached to them the next Sabbath-day. And the next Sabbath-day, came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God; and the hand of God was with his servants. Acts 13:14, 27, 42-44. It is evident therefore, that the day which was hallowed by the Jews, was, some fifteen years after the death of Christ, still known as the Sabbath. That Paul not only preached to the Jews on that day, but that he preached also, on the following Sabbath, to the Gentiles, and this at their own request, is strong proof that the apostles regarded the ancient Sabbath as the most suitable day for divine worship; and, also, that even the Gentiles of Antioch had some regard for the day. Paul was not compelled to use the Sabbath for this second meeting, for he was dealing with Gentiles; he did use it, however; which is a strong proof of his regard for the day, and even that the people of Antioch also had, to some extent, regard for the Sabbath. When the council assembled at Jerusalem to consider the question of circumcision, it is evident that the question of the Sabbath did not cause any difference of opinion at all. It was a trouble to certain ones that the Gentiles did not observe circumcision. Acts 15:1-5. Had they been neglecters, also, of the Sabbath, most certainly that fact would have been mentioned, for it could not but create even greater disturbance than the neglect of circumcision. And when the apostle James gives sentence in the council, he makes an important statement respecting the Sabbath. He says: "For Moses hath of OLD TIME in EVERY CITY them that preach him, being read in the synagogues EVERY SABBATH-DAY." Acts 15:21. He assigns this as a reason why the points named by him, and no others, should be inserted in the letter of instruction to the Gentiles. It is evident that the Jews, in their dispersion, had carried the Sabbath with them into every city of the Gentiles, and that the Gentile Christians were, even before their conversion, acquainted with the Sabbath, and were still receiving the benefit of this Sabbath instruction from the books of Moses. When Paul arrived at Philippi to preach Christ, his labors began with a small company of devout Gentiles, mostly women, who were wont to assemble for prayer, upon the Sabbath, by the river side. The first convert was a Grecian woman named Lydia, of the city of Thyatira. Acts 16:12-15. With this company of Sabbath-keepers, began the Philippian church. Next, the apostle "came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." Acts 17:1, 2. This was Paul's "manner," even as it was the "custom" of Jesus. Luke 4:16. We never read of his having a similar custom respecting any other day of the week. As the result of his preaching, "some" of the Jews, "and of the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and of the chief women, not a few," became obedient to the faith. These "devout Greeks" were men, who not only feared the true God, but kept his commandments. And thus we see that the Thessalonian church also began with a company of Sabbath-keepers, part of whom were Jews, but the most, devout Gentiles. The origin of the Corinthian church is very similar to that of the church of Thessalonica. We learn that Paul came to Corinth, and finding Aquila and Priscilla, he came unto them, "and because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought; for, by their occupation, they were tent makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:1-4. Here, as at Corinth, some of the Jews and Greeks who thus worshiped God in the synagogue were the first converts to the gospel. And this church also began, not merely from the labors of a man who kept the commandments of God, but with those who were already the worshipers of God upon his sacred day. This was Paul's manner in every place. He began with the Jews who feared God, and with whom, in every case, there appears to have been associated devout Gentiles, and with this kind of converts laid the foundation of his churches. It is certainly worthy of notice, that the day observed by the Jews is ever called the Sabbath by Luke, who writes by the Spirit of inspiration some thirty years after the abrogation of the Sabbath, as some say; or, that time after its change, as say others. We can judge how Paul preached respecting the law by what he has written respecting it in his epistles. He represents the whole world as condemned by the law, and every mouth shut by it. Rom. 3:19. He tells us that by the law is the knowledge of sin. Verse 20. So that when he wished to instruct men as to the nature of sin, he opened to them the law of God. He shows how men, thus condemned, can be pardoned, and yet God maintain his justice as represented in his law. It is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus that God can be just, and yet justify the sinner who believes in Jesus. Verses 23-26. And thus he states the immutability of the law in the strongest language: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31. Paul held to the abrogation of the ceremonial law, with its numerous sabbaths, new moons, and feast days (compare Eph. 2:14, 15; Col. 2:14-17; Lev. 23:4-44); but he did sacredly maintain the moral law of God as the unchangeable rule of right. The language of James is the most convincing testimony to the perpetual obligation of the ten commandments: "If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:8-12. There can be no mistake that what James calls the royal law is still in full force, and that this law embodies the ten commandments. It is also certain that to violate one of those commandments makes us guilty of violating the ten of God. So long, therefore, as this code of moral laws endures, so long will the Sabbath of the Lord remain. It is a part of that code which shall stand fast until heaven and earth shall pass away. The last book of the Bible was given upon the Lord's day. Rev. 1:10. It is a revelation made by Christ to John. As none but the Lord of the Sabbath was counted worthy by God, the Father, to receive this book to give to man (compare Rev. 1:1; 5:1-7), so he chose, as the most suitable day to give this to man, that day which the Bible designates as his. As only one such day is revealed in the Bible (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Isa. 58:13; Mark 2:28), we may be certian, not only that such a day existed at the close of the first century of the Christian church, but that this is the very day hallowed by the Father and the Son in the beginning, and jointly recognized in the Scriptures as theirs. SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESENT TRUTH,
THE CLEANSING OF THE SANCTUARY, (CONTINUED).
OF what infinite importance, must then the cleansing of the Sanctuary be! With this event the great plan and work of salvation closes. This finished, the final decision will have passed upon all men; the fiat of the Almighty will have gone forth, "He that is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is holy let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11. Momentous period! May he whose mediation for a rebel world is about to close, deeply impress our hearts with those emotions which this mighty truth is calculated to inspire. The ministry in the most holy being finished, it yet remained for the priest to bear out the sins from the sanctuary, place them upon the head of the scapegoat, and send him away by the hand of a fit man into a land not inhabited. Lev. 16:20-22. This ceremony as performed in the type we have already noticed. We now inquire, What service connected with the more perfect tabernacle, answers to this, and to what being shall we look, as the one shadowed forth anciently by the literal and typical goat, as, loaded with the sins of Israel, he went forth from the camp to be heard of no more forever? This point demands more particular notice, as here, again, we are led to differ very materially from the views which have generally obtained upon this subject. Because John says, (chap. 1:29), "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh (margin, beareth,) away the sin of the world," and because it is said of the scape-goat that he "shall bear upon him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited," (Lev. 16:22), it has been concluded, without further consideration, by some, that the latter is a type of the former; and Dr. Clarke, also, in his note on Lev. 16:10, makes this remark: "Did not all this signify that Christ has so carried and borne away our sins, that against them who receive him as the only true atoning sacrifice they should never more be brought to remembrance." From the view, however, that Christ is the antitype of the scape-goat, we are compelled to differ, for what we consider very strong reasons. 1. If Christ, in bearing the sin of the world, fulfilled the antitype of the scape-goat, he must have accomplished it at the crucifixion; for Peter says of him, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree." 1 Pet. 2:24. But in the type the goat was not sent away till after the cleansing of the sanctuary; hence the antitype of this work cannot be performed till after the termination of the 2300 days; for it is not till after those days have ended that the sanctuary is cleansed. Dan. 8:14; Heb. 9:23. It is therefore impossible to carry this work back to the crucifixion of Christ, which was even before he commenced his ministration in the Sanctuary above; and this is one reason why he cannot be the antitype of the scape-goat. 2. Christ is our great High Priest, the minister of the Sanctuary; but the goat is something to be sent away by the priest; therefore he cannot be the priest himself. In other words, he cannot in this dispensation be Christ; but he must be a being whom Christ, after he has loaded him with the sins borne from the sanctuary, can send away into a land not inhabited. 3. The goat was sent away from Israel into a land not inhabited, to be heard of no more forever. But Christ will dwell in the midst of his people, the true Israel of faith. 4. It is impossible that two goats, one of which was chosen by the Lord, and is called the Lord's, and was for a sin-offering, while the other is not so called, but was left to perform an entirely different office;—it is impossible that these both should typify the same person. From these considerations we think it must be evident to every one that Christ cannot be the antitype of the Levitical scape-goat. Who then can be? We answer, the devil; and our reasons for this position are at hand:— 1. The Hebrew word for scape-goat, as given in the308 margin of Lev. 16:8, is Azazel. On this verse, Jenks in his Comprehensive Commentary remarks, "Scapegoat. See diff. opin. in Bochart. Spencer, after the oldest opinion of the Hebrews and Christians thinks Azazel is the name of the devil; and so Rosenmire, whom see. The Syriac has, Azazel, the angel (strong one) who revolted." The devil is here evidently pointed out. Thus we have the definition of the Scripture term in two ancient languages, with the oldest opinion of the Christians in favor of the view that the scape-goat is a type of Satan. 2. In the common acceptation of the word, the term scape-goat, is applied to any miserable vagabond who has become obnoxious to the claims of justice; and while it is revolting to all our conceptions of the character and glory of Christ, to apply this term to him, it must strike every one as a very appropriate designation of the devil, who is styled in Scripture, the accuser, adversary, angel of the bottomless pit, Beelzebub, Belial, dragon, enemy, evil spirit, father of lies, murderer, prince of devils, serpent, tempter, etc., etc. Charles Beecher, in "Redeemer and Redeemed," pp. 67, 68, says:— "What goes to confirm this is, that the most ancient paraphrases and translations treat Azazel as a proper name. The Chaldee paraphrase, and the targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, would certainly have translated it if it was not a proper name, but they do not. The Septuagint, or oldest Greek version, renders it by apopompaio, a word applied by the Greeks to a malign deity sometimes appeased by sacrifices. Another confirmation is found in the book of Enoch, where the name Azazel, evidently a corruption of Azazel, is given to one of the fallen angels, thus plainly showing what was the prevalent understanding of the Jews at that day. "Still another evidence is found in the Arabic, where Azazel is employed as the name of the Evil Spirit. In addition to these we have the evidence of the Jewish work Zohar, and of the Cabalistic and Rabbinical writers. They tell us that the following proverb was current among the Jews: 'On the day of atonement, a gift to Sammael.' Hence Moses Gerundinensis feels called to say that it is not a sacrifice, but only done because commanded by God. "Another step in the evidence is, when we find this same opinion passing from the Jewish to the early Christian church. Origen was the most learned of the Fathers, and on such a point as this, the meaning of a Hebrew word, his testimony is reliable. Says Origen: 'He who is called in the Septuagint apopompaio, and in the Hebrew Azazel, is no other than the devil.' "In view then of the difficulties attending any other meaning, and the accumulated evidence in favor of this, Hengstenberg affirms with great confidence that Azazel cannot be anything else but another name for Satan." On page 70, Mr. Beecher further says: "The meaning of the term [scape-goat] viewed as a proper name, was stated, in 1677, by Spencer, Dean of Ely, to be powerful Apostate, or mighty Receder." Prof. Bush is also quoted on page 72, as regarding Azazel as a proper name of Satan. It is but just to Mr. B. to remark that while he thinks that Azazel is the name for Satan, he does not regard the goat as representing Satan, but looks upon the ceremony as performed in some sense in reference to Satan. This he thinks implied in the words engraved on the lots which the high priest drew for the goats on the day of atonement; one, La-Yehovah, for Jehovah, the other, La-Azazel, for Azazel, for the devil; and he takes the transaction to signify that subjection of Christ to Satan which is implied in the sentence that the serpent should bruise the heel of the seed of the woman. But as this was done at the crucifixion, it can have no reference to the ceremony of the scape-goat, a ceremony not performed till the work in the sanctuary is finished. And inasmuch as the goat upon which the lot fell for the Lord typified Christ himself, so the goat upon which the lot fell for Azazel would typify Azazel, or Satan himself. U. S. At our missionary meeting some months ago, the fact of the Missionary Society being in debt was mentioned by a brother, who made an earnest appeal for a special contribution. Others followed, driving the nail farther home. Soon this, that, and the other brother was offering his dollar. Could I give anything? I pulled a lonely dollar from my pocket. Ah! If I give my car-fare, I must walk this week to and from my school,—a distance of three miles. But said I to myself, "Who wouldn't walk six miles a day for only five days if by so doing he could help a brother on the frontier to retain his and his Master's good name?" I gave it. I walked. I thanked God every step of the way, that I was permitted to help in the good work. What was the result? I received a blessing in my soul, and my body was blessed also. It gave me a better appetite; I gained in strength and flesh. So marked was my change that I determined to walk in future. I have since had fourteen weeks of school; have walked most of the time; have gained about ten pounds, and have saved about fourteen dollars, which I needed very much for books. Now I enjoy my walks very much, and can walk the distance without fatigue. Indeed, I would rather walk than ride.—Sel. NORTH PACIFIC CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.
The fourth annual session of the North Pacific Conference convened at the camp-ground at Salem, Oregon, June 10, 1880, at 5 P. M. President in the chair. Opened by singing. Prayer by Eld. Jones. Delegates present: Salem, A. Darr, Wm. Leavitt. Demascus, J. T. Chitwood. Beaverton, R. D. Benham. Eugene, J. B. E. Young. Bro. D. H. Mothorn was accepted as delegate from S. D. Adventists in the vicinity of Lebanon, Oregon. Bro. Benj. Nye, those in Portland, and Bro. A. W. Benson those in the vicinity of Corvallis. Eld. Raymond represented the eastern division of the conference. Eld. S. N. Haskell and all S. D. Adventists in good standing were invited to participate in the deliberations of the conference. An appeal from the churches east of the Cascade mountains for a division of the N. P. Conference was read with the following resolution:— Resolved, That we hereby respectfully request the regular session of the N. P. Conference which is to be held at Salem, Oregon, June 9–15, 1880, to grant this our appeal and organize us as an independent conference, to be known as the Upper Columbia Conference of S. D. Adventists. Moved by Eld. Raymond and seconded by Wm. Leavitt, that this appeal be granted. After remarks by Eld. Haskell, Wm. Leavitt, A. W. Benson, Eld. Jones, and Eld. Raymond, it was granted. The following committees were appointed. Nominations—J. Donaldson, J. T. Chitwood, and Wm Leavitt. Resolutions—T. H. Starbuck, Wm. L. Raymond, and R. D. Benham. Auditing—J. Donaldson, J. T. Chitwood, J. B. E. Young, Wm. Leavitt, R. D. Benham, and A. W. Benson. Credentials and Licenses.—R. D. Benham, A. Darr, and J. B. E. Young. SECOND MEETING, JUNE 14, 9. A. M.
Prayer by Eld. Haskell. Sister Fulton was received as delegate from Toledo; also Sister Lenox from Hillsboro. Officers were elected as follows: President, I. D. Van Horn; Secretary, Wm. L. Raymond; Treasurer, T. H. Starbuck; Executive Committee, John Donaldson, Edward Squires. Committee on Resolutions reported as follows:— Resolved, That we gratefully record our indebtedness to the grace and providence of God for the light of the present truth, and that he has lead us through another year under circumstances of so much mercy. And that we hereby renew our covenant with him, and unreservedly consecrate ourselves to his service according to the ability he has given us. Resolved, That we hereby express our thankfulness to the General Conference for the assistance which they have given us from time to time, and that we express our confidence in their management of the matters entrusted in their hands in the work of the Third Angel's Message; and that we will prove that confidence by renewed efforts to help carry forward the work of sending the message to the world. Whereas, The General Conference has sent us help from time to time which help we very much needed; and, Whereas, The tithe of our conference funds does not meet the expense of this help, and all the money paid by us into the cause outside of our conference never having met the expense of the General Conference in starting and sustaining this mission; therefore, Resolved, That we express our appreciation of the assistance rendered by the General Conference to open up the work in this N. P. Mission, and the interest still manifested in our behalf, and we earnestly desire the continuance of its watch-care by sending us such help as in their judgment we may need. Whereas, Our numbers have so increased and help has been sent, so we now can have two conferences; therefore,309 Resolved, That we acknowledge the providence of God in this, and deeply regret our not being in a condition to more fully appreciate the labors of the servants of God now with us, and, Resolved, That we feel it not only a duty but a privilege to return to the General Conference a sufficient amount of means to meet the time and expenses of the servants of God now with us, and we pledge ourselves to fully sustain in this way all future help that may be sent us, as far as lies in our power. Resolved, That we are thankful that the Lord has recognized us as his chosen people by giving us the spirit of prophecy according to his promise, that we have full confidence in the Testimonies from Sister White, and that we will strive to heed them, and would earnestly recommend that every family of S. D. Adventists in this conference supply themselves with these writings and carefully read them, that they may be better instructed in the duties and perils of these last days. Whereas, The city authorities have been kind and considerate of our requests; therefore, Resolved, That a vote of thanks be extended to the Mayor, Marshals, City Council, and to the Committee on Public Property in particular. The resolutions were taken up one by one and unanimously adopted, the first, second and fourth by the whole congregation. The church of Toledo, consisting of seven members, was admitted into the conference. THIRD MEETING, JUNE 14, 5 P. M.
Prayer by Eld. Haskell. Upon report of the Committee on Credentials and Licenses, it was voted that Elders I. D. Van Horn and Wm. Raymond receive credentials, and that T. H. Starbuck, J. C. Bunch, A. W. Benson, and D. H. Mothorn be granted licenses. Bro. J. B. E. Young was granted a license as colporter. Adjourned. WM. L. RAYMOND, Secretary. MEN WHO ARE WANTED
By S. N. Haskell
THE cause of God at the present time calls for men who will enter the work with their whole heart. Men of nerve; men who will not count their lives dear unto themselves, but will exert an influence to save souls. Some enter the ministry, labor for a short time, but do not become successful. Others go out as colporters, some as canvassers for our books and periodicals, but they soon cease their efforts. Such have not counted the cost. They take hold of the work too much with the ends of their fingers. There is altogether too much fickleness in God's service. The importance of the work is not appreciated. A perseverance and determination is wanted. Not in one's own strength but in the strength of God should men enter this work. A devotion is required that will not yield to obstacles, but that will forego personal comfort and ease. Yes, die at our post sooner than leave the field or abandon the work. Our faith will be tested upon every point. Difficulties will arise, and obstacles will have to be met; but shall we sink under discouragement? Has the work become a part of our being by our devotion to it? "If this is the case there will be manifested as great an interest and consecration to the cause of God as the worldly man manifests for his worldly concerns. Here lies the strength and success of our missionary work. If we lose this spirit, we cease our efforts. We do not say to our brethren, a little sacrifice now and then and that is the end of it. It is, sacrifice to-day, sacrifice to-morrow, and continue to sacrifice to the end. It is a life of sacrifice. The mind must be continually exercised, the heart drawn out for others, and not be weary in well doing. There is not half the danger of becoming weary while actively engaged, as there is in ceasing to work and commencing to brood over the past. When we do this we place ourselves on the enemy's ground. If we are to die on the field let it be at our post. This spirit of sacrifice and devotion is the missionary's fort. It is where he will receive power from on high. It is when sacrifices are made which cost something; efforts put forth that require struggle, that God accepts and gives a power to reach hearts. It is when self is laid at the foot of the cross, and all selfishness is rooted out of the heart that Christ comes in, and not before. Publicans and harlots bid as fair to reign in glory as those who profess the truth and daily mingle with their judgment-bound fellow-men with their hearts as unfeeling as a stone for their spiritual welfare. Missionaries are wanted who regard this cause of more value than their farms or merchandise. If men and women can go to heathen lands to toil and suffer deprivation for the cause of Christ, and send their children to this country to be educated among friends, never more expecting to see them in this world, how must Heaven look upon those who will let some worldly influence or circumstance detain them from entering the work of Christ, or who from some slight discouragement will abandon the field. "This life to toil is given,
And he improves it best
Who seeks by patient labor
To enter into rest."
S. N. HASKELL. It is little better to wander in prayer than to wander from it. It is destructive of fervency. An Expedient
By Uriah Smith
"I have long adopted an expedient," says Cecil, "which I have found of singular service. I have a shelf in my office for tried authors; one in my mind for tried principles; and one in my heart for tried friends." O UR first Conference was held in Hellum, May 30, 31. Nine brethren were received as delegates: from Hellum, two; Tylstrup, two; Dronninglund, two; Alstrup, two; Aarhus, one. These, with two preachers,—Matteson and Brorson,—made up the members of the Conference. All brethren present were invited to partake in the deliberations. Seven churches in Denmark united to form this Conference: Hellum, with thirteen members; Alstrup, seventeen members; Tylstrup, nine; Dronninglund, fourteen; Jested, six; Nortvig, seven; Uhe, ten. The scattered brethren near Aarhus also united with the Conference. No delegates were present from Uhe and Nortvig. Letters were read from Nortvig and Ringsted, Sjalland. The whole number of Sabbath-keepers in Denmark was shown to be one hundred and twenty; members of churches, ninety-one. Bro. Matteson was unanimously elected chairman. Our position in respect to diet was discussed freely, partly for the sake of our members, and partly because our opponents try to injure us by presenting us as extremists and fanatics. The question of systematic benevolence was also considered. The treasurer's report showed, received, Kr. 280.55 (about $75.00); paid out, Kr. 135.31; cash on hand, Kr. 145.24. Bro. Brorson's report showed that he had labored forty-eight weeks, and held, on an average, four meetings a week. He had traveled principally on foot, and visited families, and scattered books. Distributed and sold about fifty thousand pages of tracts and pamphlets, baptized twelve persons, received nineteen members into the several churches, while sixteen others have commenced to keep the Sabbath and follow the Lord. (In this country the law forbids all colportering.) It was resolved that this Conference express its heartfelt thanks to our brethren in America for the help which Bro. Matteson has been enabled to bring us, not only at these meetings, but also by his former labors in Denmark, and the more so because we are not yet able to help sustain him, on account of scarcity of means; that, on account of the great need of proclaiming the truth in Denmark when Bro. Matteson went to Norway, we do hereby express our joy on account of the labors of Brn. Brorson and Jasperson, and our gratitude to our brethren in America inasmuch as they have sustained them. The brutalizing effect of the use of liquor is well illustrated in the following incident:— Two brothers reunited in New York last week after a separation of thirty-two years, adopted the foolish practice of celebrating their meeting by large potations of liquor. One was a shoemaker and the other a sailor, and they had not seen each other since 1848, when as young men they separated in Ireland, the one to emigrate to this country, and the other to sail around the world. They were sincerely attached to each other, and their joy at meeting after so long a separation was excessive. But before they had been twenty-four hours in each other's company the liquor they imbibed transformed them into human fiends; they quarreled and fought, and now one of them lies in a hospital in a critical condition, and the other is in prison awaiting trial for assaulting his brother. LOCAL OPTION; ITS RESULTS.
So far as tried, the Local Option law has been eminently successful. The Legislature gave such a law to the people of Pennsylvania in 1872. The vote of the people, taken in the same year, resulted in establishing Prohibition in forty-one of the sixty-six counties of the State. The result was a reduction of nearly one-half in the sales of wholesale and retail liquor dealers for the first year. A vigorous effort was made at the next session of the Legislature to have the law repealed, on the ground that it had well-nigh ruined, and, if not repealed, must utterly destroy, the liquor business in the State. This plain matter of history is in itself the best demonstration of the practical efficiency of the law. Ledgers will not lie, and their testimony is that a Local Option law in Pennsylvania destroys the liquor business. Our best witnesses for this law are the men who clamored for its repeal at Harrisburg and the men who fought with true but unavailing heroism in its defense. It was clearly foreseen by friend and foe, that, if the law remained, it must soon result in Prohibition for the entire State, for every Prohibition county was a standing illustration of its excellence and a great educator of public sentiment, thus augmenting the force that had already wrested two-thirds of the counties of the State from the accursed traffic and making certain its final complete triumph in the State. The influence would then have spread to other States, till at last the nation would have been delivered from this its greatest curse. It was the clear foreshadowing of these events, so terrible to the one side and so glorious to the other, that brought so much money and political influence on the one side and so much heroic effort by our most gifted sons on the other, to the final and successful struggle for repeal at Harrisburg. Temperance.
By Rev. L. F. Cole
Once he sat upon my knee,
Looked from sweet eyes into mine,
Questioned me so wondrously
Of the mysteries divine;
Once he fondly clasped my neck,
Pressed my cheek with kisses sweet.
Oh my heart! we little reck
Where may rove the precious feet. Once his laugh with merry ring
Filled our house with music rare,
And his loving hands would bring
Wreaths of blossom for my hair.
Oh the merry happy sprite!
Constant, ceaseless source of joy!
But to-night, O God! to-night,
Where, oh! where’s my wandering boy? 'Midst the glitter and the glare
Of the room where death is dealt,
Scarce you’d know him; but he’s there,
He who once so reverent knelt
At my knee and softly spoke
Words into the ear of God.
Oh my heart! ’tis smitten, broke;
Crushed, I bend beneath the rod. O this curse! that spoiled my boy,
Led him down and down to death,
Robbed me of my rarest joy,
Made a pang of every breath.
Mothers, fathers, hear my plea!
Let your pleadings pierce the sky;
Pray and work most earnestly:
Let us save our boys or die! -Rev. L. F. Cole, in Youth's Temp. Banner. A JUDGE'S VIEWS OF LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
IN sentencing a murderer to death, a judge made use of the following language:— "Nor shall the place be forgotten in which occurred this shedding of blood. It was in one of the thousand ante-chambers of hell, which mar, like plague spots, the fair face of our State. You need not be told that I mean a tippling shop—the meeting place of Satan's minions, and the foul cesspool which, by spontaneous generation, breeds and matures all that is loathsome and disgusting in profanity, and babbling, and vulgarity, and Sabbath breaking. I would not be the owner of a groggery for the price of this globe converted into precious ore. For the pitiful sum of a dime he furnished the poison which made the deceased a fool, and this trembling culprit a demon. How paltry a sum for two human lives! This traffic is tolerated by law, and, therefore, the vender has committed an offense not cognizable by earthly tribunals; but, in the sight of Him who is unerring wisdom, he who deliberately furnishes the intoxicating draught which inflames men into anger and violence and blood-shed, is particeps criminis in the moral turpitude of the deed. Is it not high time that these sinks of vice and crime should be held rigidly accountable to the laws of the land, and placed under the ban of an enlightened and virtuous public opinion?" It is rather singular that Americans are the only civilized people who habitually chew tobacco, although sailors of nearly every nation are addicted to its mastication. It is singular, too, that we, probably, employ tobacco in other ways less than other countries. Snuffing is rather rare here, common as it is in Europe, especially on the continent. We do not smoke any more, if as much as, the English; and the French, Italian, notably the Germans, Dutch and Spanish exceed us in smoking. But as tobacco-eaters we occupy the field alone, having, it is to be regretted, a monopoly of one of the most obnoxious of practices. The national mastication and expectoration are known over the world, and do ample service in all conceptions and caricatures of Brother Jonathan. To see a landsman chewing tobacco anywhere abroad is to know him for an American, native or adopted. Perhaps we stick to the worst of the three customs because tobacco is to so large extent an American plant. Europe knew nothing of it until the discovery by Columbus of the Western world. The sailors he sent ashore at Cuba found the natives smoking, and, seeing them emit smoke from their nostrils, imagined them to be on fire. All the natives from the northwest coast of Patagonia used tobacco, and to chew it is one of our inalienable and aboriginal rights. LAGER BEER AND BRIGHT'S DISEASE.
A DENVER physician yesterday informs us that there were many cases of Bright's disease in this city. As yet there has been no cure discovered for it, and it seems yearly to grow more fatal. Scientific men say that lager beer as at present used conduces to the prevalence of this disease. Lager should contain about four per cent of alcohol in order to preserve it; but this quantity has been reduced greatly, which causes the beer to rapidly acidify and purify. To overcome this tendency, the brewer has discovered that a certain preparation of lime will enable him to keep his beer from souring. But this disulphide of lime eats off the rosin that lines the kegs and the solution goes into the beer. The rosin has the effect of overloading the natural action of the kidneys, and produces diabetes and Bright's disease.—Denver Republican. WHISKY AND THE WHITE MAN'S GOD.
An Indian named Swift Runner, convicted for murder, was hanged recently at Fort Saskatchewan, Canada. To a priest who sought to give him spiritual consolation he says that "the white man's whisky ruined him, and so he could not believe in the white man's God." He preferred a death dance by his own people, and while they were performing it he was hanged. In the remark of this unlettered, whisky-despoiled Indian is a significant lesson which a professedly Christian people who tolerate, if they do not encourage, the whisky traffic, should profit by.—National Temperance Advocate.