p. 5 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 1. (1/3/1878)

Questions and Answers.

By John Norton Loughborough

1. "Please give an explanation of the first four verses of 1 Tim. 4, and also of Matt. 10 : 28. CHAS. ALLEN."

(1.) The first text reads, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

I suppose the text has received at least a partial fulfillment already in modern Spiritualism. They follow the teachings of spirits. They attempt to disannul the Bible marriage regulation and substitute therefor an association of sexes to continue only at the will of contracting parties. Then again in "developing mediums," as they call it, the spirits have actually forbidden the use of such food as the Bible says in so many words was made for man's use. One of our brethren in Napa, Cal., who was once a spirit medium, was by the spirits forbidden to use fruits and many other things that God's word says were made for man's food. Let it be borne in mind that the word "meat" in the Bible is used in the sense of food. The expression in verse 4, "For every creature of God is good," should be qualified by the expressions in verses 3 and 5 "commanding to abstain from meats (food) which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving" (see Gen. 1:29) and "it is sanctified by the word of the Lord and prayer." He created herbs for man's food and by his word he "sanctified," set apart, the kinds of food which were good for man's use. So the sense of the text would be that "every creature" which God created to be received with thanksgiving, and which he has pointed out by his word, is to be received with thanksgiving, while the text shows that in the development of the class of spirit followers, among other things, they will directly forbid the use of some of the very foods which God created to be received.

(2.) The second text, Matt. 10 : 28, reads : "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." If we compare this with the parallel passage in Luke 12 : 4, 5, we read, "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear : Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him." In this text we see that the present and future life are contrasted. The word "soul" is used in the sense of life, and in Matt. 10 : 28 refers to the future immortal life which may be received by those who obey the Lord. We would paraphrase the text on this wise. Do not be afraid of them who may take away your present life but cannot touch the future, but fear him who can cut short your present life, and after that, in the resurrection state, can, and will, unless we obey him, deprive us of eternal life.

For a more full explanation of this text we refer you to a work entitled "Nature and Destiny of Man," for sale at the SIGNS OF THE TIMES Office.

2. "Please answer the following questions based on 1 Tim. 4 : 1-5 : (1.) The "latter times," are they past, present or future? (2.) Is it wrong to eat meat at all? (3.) Is pork included in the word "meats," and how is this part of holy writ to be reconciled with common sense which teaches that it is injurious to eat pork? A SUBSCRIBER FOR THE SIGNS."

(1.) The "latter times" as used by Paul we understand refers to the last part of the gospel dispensation, commencing at the point where there should be a special work of consulting spirits and covering a space to the very last day of the dispensation. So we may say, as far as the designation of this text is concerned, we have been in the latter times since the development of modern Spiritualism commenced, are in it now, and will be in the last days until the very last day of the dispensation comes.

(2.) We would not take the position that it is wrong to eat any kind of flesh meat. God's words to the Israelites designated what animals might be eaten and what not, because one class was clean and another class was unclean. Mankind should discard the use of fatty meats, and in this time when the animal creation is becoming more and more diseased every year those are safest who steadily bring themselves to a diet composed almost entirely from the products of the vegetable world. In other words adopting a fruit, grain and vegetable diet.

(3.) To the third question we answer emphatically, No! pork is not included in the word "meats" which God commanded to be received with thanksgiving, for God never commanded any man to receive it, but commanded them on the contrary to not eat of it nor touch it. So this part of holy writ is in exact harmony "with common sense." J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Reports from the Field.

By Editor

(Condensed from Review and Herald.)

New England.

WEST NEWBURY.—A good interest has been awakened in this place by the labors of Brethren Robinson and Stone. They have held meetings ten days and have had large audiences. Elder Canright was with them December 10. He writes: “Last night I had an audience of three hundred, though it was Monday night. The interest is growing deeper, and we confidently expect that a good work will be done here. This place is half-way between Newburyport and Haverhill, six miles from each, where we have churches. During the last five months, five new churches have been raised up in the New England Conference; and now there are more good openings waiting than we can possibly fill for months to come. The people seem eager to hear, and many of them are ready to embrace the truth. If New England has been a hard field in the past, it certainly is not now. Things are changed; and I believe the day is near when this will be one of the richest fields in all the harvest.”

Michigan.

IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES.—Brethren A. O. Burrill and F. Howe report interesting meetings with the churches in these counties. At Lyons three were added to the church by baptism. Nearly took hold of the tithing plan. In the meeting at Carson City, at the close of the second sermon on Sabbath, nearly all in the house came forward to seek the Lord, some of them for the first time. Two were added to the church by baptism. These two counties have, including children, five hundred and eighty-five Sabbath-keepers, and their entire pledges amount to $2,640.

TUSCOLA COUNTY.—Brother Lamson reports profitable meetings with the churches. At Vassar the meeting was well attended. They take twenty-four copies of the SIGNS. At Watrousville Brother L. found an excellent interest to hear, many were disappointed that he could not remain longer. Some come long distances over bad roads to attend this meeting. The best of interest was taken in the word spoken, and the business sessions were harmonious. They take sixteen copies of the SIGNS.

BENOA AND WHITEHALL.—Brother G. A. Carlstedt writes: “My meetings have closed in Benoa for the present. A Swedish lady commenced to keep the Sabbath while I was there. Her son seemed very much interested in the truth. Some thought we were right in regard to the state of the dead and the immortality of the soul, but wanted more time to think of the Sabbath. I came to Whitehall last week, and have held four meetings with the brethren up to this time. Some outsiders have been present, and enjoyed the meetings. I visited at their homes, and explained to them about the Sabbath and its change, and invited them to come and hear more at our meetings, which they said they would do. These were Americans. The Scandinavians here are hard to reach, being so under the control of priests.”

Kansas.

ZION.—Brother Lamont writes: “I have just closed an interesting series of meetings here. On Sunday evening we enjoyed an excellent season in the celebration of the ordinances. The brethren manifested commendable zeal in attending these meetings, the bad roads and dark nights keeping none away. The outside attendance was good. Four united with the church.”

The Old Year and the New.

THE pale patriarch, surrounded by his immense host of descendants—seasons, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds—summons us to his immediate presence.

"I have called you hither to commit to you my last and most solemn message. I am only one of the six thousand princes of time. Time is the son of eternity. From eternity down to the youngest second, all ages and years, and seasons, and months, and weeks and days, and hours, and minutes, are God's messengers; entrusted with his richest benefits, and commissioned to bear them to man. My mission, like that of my predecessors, is ended. Before my departure, I remind you of the same. My office has been one of ceaseless love. If you marvel that I am encompassed by such a host, I have only to inform you, that they have been my faithful assistants as well as my affectionate children; and that the reason of their multitude is the multitude of God's benefits to man. A smaller number would fail to distribute his abounding mercies. There is not one, in all this array, who has not been thus employed. And ere I die I will question them in your presence, and you must report their testimony in the sanctuary:—

"Seasons—What have you given to man?" And the four seasons answered—"God's benefits."

"Months—What have you given to man?" And the twelve months answered—"God's benefits."

"Weeks—What have you given to man?" And the fifty-two weeks answered—"God's benefits."

"Days—What have you given to man?" And the three hundred and sixty-five days answered—"God's benefits."

"Hours—What have you given to man?" And the nearly nine thousand hours answered—"God's benefits."

"Minutes—What have you given to man?" And the half million minutes answered—"God's benefits."

"Seconds—What have you given to man?" And the thirty millions of seconds answered—"God's benefits."

"Servants of God, ministers of Christ," said he, "you have heard their uniform answers. With my own fast failing breath I confirm their truth. I have superintended their toil. I know that our whole mission has been occupied in the distribution of God's benefits. You have seen the dying year, repeat to your hearers that you yourselves must die, that they must die. Tell them that the garden of pleasure will then be as desolate as are now the fields of nature to me. There is but the one hope, the inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. God's benefits begin with life but do not end with death; they commence on earth only to multiply in heaven; and while they enrich in time, they will endure throughout eternity!"

So saying, the dying year arose and stood by the side of the new, acknowledged him as his successor, and resigned the scepter to him, and bowing to his attendants, beckoned to his own and ascended with them, vanishing among the welcoming stars. The New Year glanced at the happy transit and then dispersed on errands of mercy through all the earth; to meet again when another New Year shall hang out his signal through the sky, and come to enter on his reign.

But lo! the New Year stands in the aisle. The seasons, months, weeks, days, and minutes are waiting without.

"Why art thou here? thou youthful prince of time."

"I am here" he answered, "to strengthen your appeal. I am here to promise a continuance of God's benefits to those who shall honor his cause. I am here to say to the people, If during all my term you would have every month, week, day, hour, minute, and even every second bless you, attend to the interests of personal salvation. Pay your vows unto the Lord in the presence of his people.

"It is not mine to say whether you shall live or die; whether the family shall remain united, or be separated; or whether chastenings shall be many or few. But this I do aver, that he who remembers God's benefits toward him, during the term of my predecessor, with the most grateful devotion has the greatest reason to hope for their renewal and increase throughout my own."—Sel.

THE HOME CIRCLE.

After the Holidays.

THEY were over at last; and Paul, Dora, and I, were settled back into the old life again; into the studying in the mornings, and the sleigh rides in the afternoons, cutting through the white flannels of winter snows which clothed the earth—the naked, desolate, uncomely earth, which had waited for the snow so long.

The holidays were over, and yet their memories clung to us all, and we loved to go back in the long winter evenings and talk them over together. We would see the old church lighted again, and the great Christmas tree before the pulpit, and the crowd of small, shining heads in the front seats, all turned eager and breathless toward it.

There it stood, the small tapers burning like stars, thick among the dark green branches, the great oranges glowing liks crimson globes among the boughs, and festoons of red swamp and cranberries blazing like coral and carbuncles amid all. There stood the great tree in whose branches the young birds had built their nests, and the sweet summer winds had sung, and which had gathered the snows of so many winter nights and held them up in the mornings on its many boughs like heaps of wide-blossomed lilies. Now, every branch was burdened with its Christmas gifts for many children; gifts, beautiful, and rare, and varied, to make the eyes leap, and the hearts beat for joy, as the little children's hands closed over them.

As I said, Paul and Dora, and I, loved to talk all this over as we sat together in the long winter evenings which followed the holidays, and played with our new games, which were among the gifts that the Christmas tree had held for us.

But whenever we talked of the eager crowd of faces which thronged the church and bent down from the galleries, as one after another the gifts were taken down from the branches, and the names of the recipients thereof read out, loud and clear, and the little, eager hands stretched out, the memory of something I had seen and overheard in the old church came like a little shadow, creeping through all the brightness of that Christmas evening.

There sat in the seat before me a small boy and girl; the girl the smaller of the two. They were pretty children, dressed very plainly, perhaps I had better say poorly. They looked with faces brimful of interest and eagerness on the Christmas tree, and their young voices mingled sweetly with the other young voices which sang that night their hymns of thanksgiving and jubilee. But after the little, strange children had watched for a long time, as one after another the happy children went up to receive the gift of the Christmas tree, the little girl put up her lips to her brother's ear, and I heard her soft whisper:—

“Don't you believe, Philip, somebody will call our names? I want us to have a present too.”

“We can't, Mary. You see nobody knows us in all the great church.”

I saw the little face falter and fall, and, as I held my pretty presents in my hands, my heart ached for the little boy and girl sitting there all unknown and uncared for in the seat before me. I thought how sad and desolate they must feel, just as I should in their places. Ah, me! what a strange, sad, lonely day Christmas must seem without these things!

At last the gifts were all distributed; the last name was called; the children were bending glad faces over their new, pretty toys; and the little girl drew up hers to her brother, but amid the general joy hers was sorrowful, and whispered:—

“Oh, Philip, they've all got something pretty but us!”

“But, Mary, we do n't know anybody here, you see,” said he trying to comfort the little grieved child, though he was not more than two or three years her senior, and his face was sad too. “We couldn't expect that they'd give us anything.”

The great tears ran over the little face.

“But they've all got something pretty—all, but us. I want a Christmas gift too, Philip.”

I told Paul and Dora about it. They both listened intently, and though Paul is two years older than I, the tears were in his great brown eyes, as they were on Dora's cheeks when I concluded.

“They must live somewhere in Woodleaf, I'm certain,” said Dora, “or they wouldn't have been at the church on Christmas night.”

“There's a family moved into the little white cottage just beyond the turnpike,” said Paul. “I heard Mr. Ramsdell asking the doctor to call there, for the mother was ill, and the father had gone away. He said that they had two children too young to help themselves—a boy and a girl.”

“I wish that we could do something for them,” said Dora, and her bright face was thoughtful.

“We could carry them some of our toys. They are younger than we, and we could spare them well enough,” added Paul.

“Oh, Paul, it would do my heart good to make that little girl's face glad,” I cried.

We told the story to mother, and obtained her full consent to give just what we liked. Dora offered her last year's doll and wicker cradle, as good as new, Paul his regiment of soldiers, and I my pretty set of china. Mother added to these a handsome tippet for the boy and a scarf for the girl. After our lessons and dinner were over, we started, Paul, and Dora, and I, for the little white house near the turnpike.

The little girl came to the door, and her blue eyes opened wide with wonder and pleasure when she saw us. She asked us into the little plain, but pleasant, parlor, saying that her mother was able to sit up now, and we could go to her room in a minute.

“We haven't come to see her, but you and your brother Philip,” said Paul.

The child's eyes grew wider for wonder as she ran and summoned her brother.

When Philip Hughes entered the room with his little sister's hand in his, my brother stated briefly that we had learned of the sad omission that had taken place on Christmas night, and that we had come now, late as it was, to do all in our power to mend the matter, and had brought our Christmas gifts. He then laid the bundle on the table, cut the string, and the pretty things were before the wondering eyes of the children.

What they said, I cannot well remember. Perhaps it was not so very much after all; but oh! if you could have seen their faces—if you could have looked upon little Mary Hughes as she bowed her head over the pretty gifts, and sobbed for joy—if you could have seen her lift up her face to her brother, and heard her words: “Oh, Philip, we've got our Christmas gifts after all!” it would have melted your heart, if it is not as hard as a stone. And when the pale, gentle mother learned all, and feebly made her way into the room, and laid her thin hand on our heads, and blessed us, we—Paul, Dora, and I—wondered if we had any joy deeper and sweeter than that which came “after the holidays.”—Sel.

Knowledge

By Eliza H. Morton

Knowledge.

It has been said that, "Knowledge is the wing Whereby we fly to Heaven."

Although man can never regain his former estate by obtaining knowledge, yet he can, by the proper use of the right kind of knowledge, fit himself for the society of God, Christ and angels.

The knowledge of sin is obtained by the law. The knowledge of salvation is obtained through Jesus Christ and "in everything we are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge." We are counseled by "holy men of old" to "lay up knowledge," and our enjoyment in this life may be greatly heightened, by a wise cultivation of our intellectual powers. The vast wealth of literature and thought is for us. We may possess a true appreciation of the beautiful in nature, roam the fields of science with keen and eager research and stand at the very "portals of all knowledge." All this need not unfit us for religious worship. Indeed, the study of the works of God, as manifested in the myriad forms of animal and vegetable life, the laws which govern the universe and the wonders of the sky, cannot fail to impress us with an overwhelming sense of the omnipotence of our God and to bow us in "dust and ashes" before his throne.

Although there is "no knowledge in the grave," yet we know not how our future life may be effected by our progress in knowledge here. There is a day coming when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea," and in that day the truly wise "will shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever."

ELIZA H. MORTON. Allen's Corner, Me.

How We Learn.

By Bonar

Great truths are greatly won. Not found by chance, Nor wafted on the breath of summer dream; Nor grasped in the great struggle of the soul, Hard buffeting with adverse wind and stream. Not in the general mart, 'mid corn and wine; Not in the merchandise of gold and gems; Not in the world's gay hall of midnight mirth; Not 'mid the blaze of regal diadems; But in the day of conflict, fear and grief, When the strong hand of God, put forth in might, Plows up the subsoil of the stagnant heart, And brings the imprisoned truth-seed to the light. Wrung from the troubled spirit, in hard hours Of weakness, solitude, perchance of pain, Truth springs, like harvest, from the well-plowed field, And the soul feels it has not wept in vain. —Bonar.

During the War.

By R. F. Cottrell

DEAR SIGNS:—It is more than a quarter of a century since I enlisted in the work of the last message, the message which you are effectually bearing to mankind. I enlisted for the whole duration of the war, whether long or short, unless sooner honorably discharged and bid to rest from labor. In the ardor of fresh hope I did not look forward to more than about five years for the war to be ended and the final victory won; but though more than five times five have already elapsed, I am not dissatisfied at all; my courage is still good, and my determination to serve out the time of my enlistment firm as at the first. And though somewhat advanced in age, I have no reason to give up the hope that I may live to the close of the war. The advancement in the work which I have witnessed so far, gives me reason to hope that the conflict will soon, very soon, be over. I witnessed the falling of the stars in 1833, the last of the signs in the heavens given as merciful warnings of the approach of the great day of the Lord, and I claim to belong to "this generation," which the Saviour affirmed should not pass away till he should come and his people be gathered to himself. Therefore, with increasing health, resulting from the observance of the excellent sanitary regulations which have been introduced among us, I press on with buoyant hope to the final triumph.

The Lord is truly doing a great work in world. The earth has never seen a more important period than the present. The earth is fast becoming enlightened with the glory of the final warning, and the grand and final test upon the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will soon decide the destiny of all living. Then it will be found that a great reward is awaiting the overcomer.

The way is opened for all to serve the cause of God, and labor for perishing men. Benighted humanity is to be enlightened with the light which God has graciously given to us. We are debtors to those in every place who are willing to hear the closing message of the gospel. And we should do all in our power to discharge the debt. We may scatter papers and tracts and in that way give the light to those in darkness. And if we do what we can, it is accepted of God. He requires of us according to the means and ability which he gives. The two mites, being all that we have, is acceptable. But let none talk of giving the widow's mites, unless it is all that they have. To consecrate all is our reasonable service. God help us to be faithful. R. F. COTTRELL.

"I Don't Mean Him."

By W. H. Milburn

THE following anecdote of Rev. James Axley, a renowned preacher of East Tennessee, was related by Hugh L. White, for many years a distinguished judge in that State, and afterwards a member of the Senate :—

It was noised through the town of Jonesborough that Mr. Axley would hold forth on the ensuing Sabbath. The famous divine was a great favorite—with none more so than with Judge White. At the appointed hour, the judge in company with a large congregation, was in attendance at the house of prayer. All was hushed in expectation. Mr. Axley entered, and with him a clerical brother, who he invited to preach. The congregation was disappointed.—This was not the man they had come to hear; consequently there was a good deal of misbehavior. The discourse was ended and Mr. Axley rose.

It is a custom in the new country where two or more preachers are present, for each of them to have something to say.

Mr. Axley stood silently surveying the congregation, until every eye was riveted. He then began :—

“It may be a very painful duty, but it is a solemn one, for a minister of the gospel to report vice, misconduct and sin, whenever and wherever he sees it. But especially is this his duty at church. That is a duty I am now about to attend to.

“And now,” continued the reverend speaker, pointing with his long finger in the direction indicated, “that man sitting out yonder, behind the door, who got up and went out while the brother was preaching, stayed out as long as he wanted to, got his boots full of mud, came back and stamped the mud off at the door, making all the noise he could, on purpose to disturb the attention of the congregation, and then took his seat; that man thinks I mean him. No wonder he does. It doesn’t look as if he had been raised in the white settlements, does it, to behave that way at meeting! Now, my friend, I’d advise you to learn better manners before you come to church next time. But I don’t mean him.

“And now,” again pointing at his mark, “that little girl sitting there, about half way of the house—I should judge her to be about sixteen years old—that’s her with the artificial flowers on the outside of her bonnet, and the inside of her bonnet; she has a breastpin on too (they were very severe on any superfluities of dress,) she that was giggling and chattering all the time the brother was preaching, so that even the old sisters in the neighborhood couldn’t hear what he was saying, though they tried. She thinks I mean her. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart for any parents who have raised a girl to her time of day and haven’t taught her how to behave when she comes to church. Little girl, you have disgraced your parents as well as yourself. Behave better next time, won’t you? But I don’t mean her.”

Directing his finger to another aim, he said: “That man sitting there, that looks as bright and pert as if he never was asleep in his life, and never expected to be but that just as soon as the brother took his text, laid his head down on the back of the seat in front of him, went sound asleep, and slept the whole time and snored; that man thinks I mean him. My friend, don’t you know the church isn’t the place to sleep? If you needed rest, why didn’t you stay at home, take off your clothes and go to bed? That’s the place to sleep, not at church. The next time you have a chance to hear a sermon, I advise you to keep awake.”

Thus did he proceed, pointing out every man, woman and child, who had in the slightest deviated from a befitting line of conduct, characterizing the misdemeanor, and reading sharp lessons of rebuke.

Judge White was all this time sitting at the end of the front seat, just under the speaker, enjoying the old gentleman’s disquisition to the last degree; twisting his neck around to see if the audience relished the “down comings” as much as he did; rubbing his hands’ smiling, chuckling inwardly. Between his teeth and cheek was a monstrous quid of tobacco, which the better he was pleased, the more he chewed; and the more he chewed the more he spit, and behold, the floor bore witness to the results. At length the old gentleman, straightening himself up to his full height, continued with great gravity :—

“And now, I reckon, you want to know who I do mean. I mean that dirty, nasty, filthy tobacco chewer, sitting on the end of that front seat,” his finger, meanwhile, pointing, true as the needle to the pole—“see what he has been about!—Look at those puddles on the floor; a frog wouldn’t get into them. Think of the sisters’ dresses being dragged through that muck!” The crestfallen judge averred that he never chewed any more tobacco in church.—Rev. W. H. Milburn.

Principles of Health Reform.

(Concluded.)

8. Personal cleanliness must be maintained by frequent bathing.

Far too little importance is generally paid to bathing. Many people seek to hide their dirt by the use of perfumes. Many diseases have their origin in a dirty, torpid skin. Health reform indorses the ancient regulations of the Mosaic law, and enjoins so frequent bathing that the person shall never acquire an offensive odor, even in the sweltering months of summer, when a daily ablution is necessary.

9. Mental and social influences and surroundings must be such as to encourage cheerfulness and contentment.

Health reform recognizes to the fullest extent the wonderfully intimate relation which exists between the mind and the body, and often discovers to the poor victim of despair that his difficulty is wholly in his liver. It not only recommends cheerfulness and contentment, but encourages it in the most effectual way, by promoting health.

10. Proper bodily positions and correct attitudes should be cultivated and preserved.

Another of the objects of health reform is to call attention to the evil results of allowing the body to habitually assume unnatural and constrained attitudes and positions. Deformity is the inevitable result.

RESTORATION OF HEALTH, OR TREATMENT OF DISEASE.

For centuries it has been the prevailing belief that disease was some sort of malignant entity, something to be attacked, fought and destroyed. With this theory of the nature of disease, it is easily comprehended why the practice of physicians has been such as it has. Supposing it to be something to be destroyed, it would seem very appropriate that poisons, the most destructive agents, should be employed for the purpose. But the world is rapidly becoming enlightened upon this subject through the influence of this movement, which advocates the following principles relating to disease:—

1. Disease is remedial effort. In other words, it is an effort of nature to remove obstructions or correct abnormal conditions.

2. All curative power exists in the living system. Men may supply conditions, and thus facilitate recovery; but nature does all the healing work.

3. Drugs and medicines never CURE. They may change the seat of disease, may create new diseases, but they never cure the patient.

4. The agencies which nature can use in her healing work are those known as hygienic, the chief of which are pure air, proper food, pure soft water, proper clothing, sunlight, exercise, rest, mental influence, and electricity. Disease originates in an abuse or non-use of these agents; health is only to be obtained by their proper employment.

We say that the world is becoming enlightened upon this subject; this is the case with the more intelligent classes, and especially does the medical profession seem to be awakening to a recognition of the truth of the principles above stated. It may be said that drugs are still largely employed by allopathic, homeopathic, and eclectic physicians; this is true, notwithstanding the fact that many of the most eminent men of these different schools have unhesitatingly declared their unbelief in the efficacy of drugs as remedies for disease. Here is the chief ground of complaint which health reform finds against the medical profession. Their college professors and learned doctors admit and even declare the truth, but in their practice persist in perpetuating methods of treatment which are only consistent with old and exploded theories. Listen to the following admissions of some of the most eminent of the doctors of allopathic medication, and then attempt to harmonize such confessions with the nearly universal practice of drugging and dosing every ailment:—

“Modern medicine inclines to regard diseases no longer as distinct entities, but, rather, as perverted life processes.”—N. A. Review for July, 1873.

Says Reynolds, in his compendious work on practice, “No specific remedy will cure.” Again, “Energetic antiphlogistic treatment is energetic mischief.”

Says Prof. Alonzo Clarke, M. D., “All our curative agents are poisonous; and, as a consequence, every dose diminishes the patient's vitality.”

Says Prof. St. John, M. D., “All medicines are poisonous.”

Says Prof. Martyn Paine, M. D., LL. D., “Drug medicines do but cure one disease by producing another.”

Said Prof. Jos. M. Smith, M. D., “Drugs do not cure disease.”

John Mason Good, M. D., F. R. S., said of medicines, “They have destroyed more lives than war, pestilence, and famine combined.”

Said Dr. Bostwick, “Every dose of medicine given, is a blind experiment on the vitality of the patient.”

The above are but a very few of the testimonies which might be presented against the use of drugs; but are not the eminent authorities quoted, and the cogent sentences uttered by them, sufficient to convince any candid man of the truth of the propositions for the support of which they are presented? We think this is the case; but if further evidence is required, we have only to point to the thousands of chronic invalids who have been made such by the use of powerful drugs—the unnumbered throng of miserable dyspeptics who have ruined their digestion by making apothecary shops of their stomachs—the hundreds of cripples whose prospects for life have been ruined by mercury and like poisons.

Health reform offers to replace this wretched and dangerous system of medical practice by one which is wholly safe, wonderfully simple, and eminently efficient. This system, known as the HYGIENIC SYSTEM, has saved the lives of thousands of individuals whose friends and physicians had given them up to die. All we ask is careful and candid investigation of the principles advocated.

RELIGIOUS NEWS.

There are 300,000 Sunday-school teachers and 5,000,000 scholars in England.

The American Bible Society has added to its library the book of Acts in Japanese.

It is stated that the Wesleyan Foreign Missionary Society of Great Britain is $100,000 in debt.

One-third of the contributions to missions last year was given by the Sunday-schools of this country.

Fifty members of a colored church, in Lexington, Ky., have been excommunicated because they would go to the circus.

The receipts of the American Bible Society for November were $32,737. The number of copies of the Scriptures issued were 54,194.

Prussia has one hundred and forty Roman Catholic papers; Austria, seventy-seven; Bavaria, seventy-seven; Switzerland, fifty-three; Saxony, three; Baden, twelve.

During the past year a thousand children have been taught in the schools of the Methodist Ladies' Five Points Mission, and 300 families have been assisted with food and clothing.

The province of Honan, China, has a population of twenty-three millions, among whom the Roman Catholics are working with nine missionaries and three native priests. They have already made 5,000 converts among them.

The Catholic Mirror says that there have been two hundred and fifty-seven popes. One hundred and ninety-nine of them have been Italians. Fifteen were Frenchmen, thirteen Greeks, eight Syrians, six Germans, five Spaniards, two Africans, two Savoisiens, two Dalmatians. England, Portugal, Holland, Switzerland and Canada have each, furnished one chief pontiff.

The seventy-fourth session of the Revisers of the Authorized Version of the New Testament, recently held in the Jerusalem Chamber, lasted seven hours, and the second revision was carried to the close of the first chapter of the First Epistle of St. Peter.

It will be part of the business of the International Sunday-school Convention, which meets in Atlanta, Ga., next April, to furnish statistics of all the Sunday-schools in the United States. The last totals were reported in 1875. They show 69,871 Sunday-schools, 753,060 officers and teachers, and 5,790,683 scholars. This will give a total of 6,543,708 persons in the Sunday-schools of our country.

St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church of New York, Dr. O. H. Tiffany, pastor, is the strongest and most wealthy church in the New York Conference. The membership numbers 630, and the Sunday-school 321 scholars and teachers. The church property is valued at $300,000, and the benevolent contributions of the society last year amounted to $11,787.70.

SECULAR NEWS.

—Egypt has forty-two obelisks left.

—The diphtheria is prevailing in San Jose and Santa Clara.

—Eleven saloon-keepers are members of the Boston city council.

—Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria's youngest son, is dangerously ill.

—Some of the new Representatives in Washington are liquor dealers.

—The Cuban revolution has cost Spain two hundred millions of dollars.

—Oregon's exports for the last six months amounted to over six million dollars.

—The recent violent rain on the Colorado desert broke up fifty miles of the railroad track.

—Holland has a population of 4,000,000 persons, and has not had a bank failure in forty years.

—In India last year 19,273 persons and 54,830 cattle were destroyed by wild animals and poisonous snakes.

—Great Britain now cultivates nearly one million less number of acres of wheat than she did twenty years ago.

—There are 150,000 idle people in Philadelphia. In consequence crime and pauperism has increased at a fearful rate.

—The Jubilee singers have recently gone to Germany to continue the work they have for six years been doing in the United States, Great Britain, and Holland, in the interest of the education of their race in Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn.

—It is estimated that 20,000 oil wells have thus far been dug in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, at an aggregate cost of $192,000,000. They have yielded about 88,000,000 barrels of oil, valued at the well at $300,000,000, or $400,000,000 at the seaboard.

—An exchange says: "There is much concern on the part of medical men in Great Britain concerning the evident increase of lunacy. In 1850 there was a mean of one lunatic in every 534 persons, and it is estimated that the proportion is now one in 369."

—The total assets of the city of Boston, actual and nominal, are placed at $54,677,633.06, and the total debt amounts to $43,590,497. The amount of property devoted to religious and charitable purposes, exempt from taxation, located within the municipal limits, amounts to $19,943,200.

—Electricity has been applied to a novel use in the East Indies. A platinum wire connected with the poles of a battery is stretched around a tree, and becoming red hot, is gently see-sawed, until it burns its way through. It is thought that a tree can be cut down without any waste of timber in about fifteen minutes, that would require two hours to fell the ordinary way.

—Quite an excitement has been made in Springfield, Mass., by the refusal of a council of fourteen Congregationalist ministers to install Rev. James F. Merriam as pastor of ward 8, Congregational society, on account of his believing that, if the punishment of the wicked is eternal, it is eternal indeed, though he promised not to preach upon that point. As Mr. Merriam is highly esteemed, the society unanimously voted to accept him as their pastor despite the disapprobation of the council.

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