—Over 1,250,000 people are still receiving relief in India.
—The New England Colleges have over 140 Chinese students.
—A copious shower of sand, wafted over from the deserts of Africa, recently fell in Rome and Naples, nearly obscuring the sun.
—The California warehouses and lumber yards on Beale-street wharf, San Francisco, were destroyed by fire, caused by rioters, July 25. The value of property destroyed is estimated at half a million dollars.
—The official statement shows the coinage of the United States mints during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877, to have been as follows: Gold $44,078,199; trade dollars, $8,162,900; subsidiary $9,387,935; minor, $62,165. Total $61,691,199.
—France, not much larger than Pennsylvania and Ohio, boasts of 38,000,000 population, nearly as many steam engines as the United States, with manufacturing products of $2,400,000,000 per annum, and an import and export trade nearly double that of the United States.
—The number of wolves in Russia is increasing, since the serfs have become unwilling to act as drivers in the wolf hunt, which used to be the great national pastime. No less than 161 persons lost their lives by the wolves in 1875, and the loss in domestic animals is estimated at $12,500,000 yearly.
—On the 10th instant, Joseph, the Indian chief, surprised a party of thirty-one Chinamen, who were coming down the Clearwater river in boats for recreation, and killed all but one. These are the first Chinamen who have been molested by the Indians. Many of them are now leaving the upper country.
—Judge Allison, of Philadelphia, who has been upon the bench now more than a quarter of a century, said recently that of the hundreds of murder trials which had come before him in that long period, the cause of the crime in fully ninety-five out of every hundred cases was the use of intoxicating drinks.
—The first and only railway in China, the line from Shanghai to Woosung, recently built by English capitalists, turns out to be a great success. There is a regular traffic, and a rush for the cars at the stations. The Chinese themselves have now undertaken a line to run from Woosung to Soochow, and English capitalists are not indisposed to advance the funds on an enterprise which promises to pay.
—There are in this country 19 libraries containing each 50,000 or more volumes, as follows: Congressional Library, 300,000; Public, Boston, 299,869; Mercantile, New York, 160,613; Harvard College, 154,000; Astor, New York, 152,446; Mercantile, Philadelphia, 125,668; House of Representatives, 125,000; Boston Athenaeum, 105,000; Library Company of Philadelphia, 104,000; State Library, Albany, 95,000; Yale College, 78,000; Public, Cincinnati, 71,405; New York Society, 65,000; American Antiquarian Society, 60,497; New York Historical Society, 60,000; Peabody Institute, Baltimore, 57,458; Apprentices, New York, 53,000; Mercantile, Brooklyn, 50,257; Public Library of Kentucky, 50,000.
Tea and Coffee.
WHY THEIR USE IS UNHEALTHFUL.
(Continued.)
HOW TEA AND COFFEE ARE INJURIOUS.
The evils which result from the use of tea and coffee are attributable to three distinct causes, each of which we will briefly consider.
1. The most prominent and characteristic effects of the use of tea and coffee are those which are occasioned by the peculiar poison which they contain, together with tannic acid, an irritating drug. Acting as poisonous, or medicinal, agents (as the terms are really synonymous,) they produce a great variety of morbid effects, which will be more fully noticed further on.
2. In drinking tea and coffee, or any other beverage, with the meal, the processes of digestion are greatly interfered with in at least three different ways.
a. The food is rinsed down the throat without proper mastication, so that it is introduced into the stomach in a condition quite unfit to be acted upon by the gastric juice, as it is quite essential that the digestive fluid should come in immediate contact with the most minute particles of the food in order to fully perform its function. As the stomach cannot perform the work of comminution which the teeth are especially fitted to do, a large proportion of the food either passes on at once as waste material, or lies in the stomach souring, and thus preventing the digestion of the remainder of the food, and irritating the delicate membranes of the organ. Drinking tea, coffee, or any other beverage with meals, is the great cause of hasty eating, and imperfect digestion. One other result of hasty mastication is the imperfect insalivation of the food, which is a very serious deficiency, as the saliva is a very important digestive fluid, and its absence imposes an extra task upon the other juices employed in digestion.
b. By the introduction into the stomach of a large quantity of fluid, the gastric juice is so diluted that it is rendered utterly incapable of digesting the food with which it comes in contact.
c. In order to remedy the evil last mentioned, the absorbent vessels of the stomach are set vigorously at work to absorb and carry away the surplus liquid, so that the work of digestion may be carried on. This is a task which involves both a serious delay, and the imposition of a large amount of unnecessary work upon the stomach, the natural result of which is exhaustion, enervation, and ultimate permanent weakening of that important digestive organ.
3. The unnatural temperature at which tea, coffee, and all similar beverages are usually drunk, is very injurious to health. By the great heat, the teeth are injured, and the delicate nerves of taste are rendered insensible. But the greatest injury is done the stomach, the delicate walls of which are relaxed and weakened, so that they cannot act upon the food in their naturally prompt and vigorous manner.
The morbid effects of tea and coffee are manifested upon both the physical constitution and the mental organization of the person addicted to their use.
ALLEGED BENEFITS OF TEA AND COFFEE CONSIDERED.
These have been slightly touched upon already, but we will now consider them more fully. Perhaps the first thing we hear in favor of the use of tea and coffee is from some sallow, weak, nervous lady who, when questioned on the subject, declares she cannot possibly live without her daily tea and coffee, for—
THEY SOOTHE THE NERVES.
How do they soothe the nerves? Do they furnish the requisite material for repairing the worn and exhausted organs? No. They only temporarily excite them, so that their real condition is for a time obscured; but when their evanescent effect has vanished, the nerves are in greater need than before of being soothed, and each application of the remedy makes the evil worse. This is the reason why we seldom find a confirmed tea-drinker who is not troubled with nervousness. It is also equally true that the great majority of sufferers from this disease are tea-drinkers. In hundreds of instances these nervous tea-drinkers have fully and speedily recovered their health by abandoning their use of the article. This is a sure and simple remedy.
TEA AND COFFEE ASSIST DIGESTION.
“My stomach is so weak,” says a tea-drinking dyspeptic, “that a cup of good, strong tea is necessary to enable me to digest my meal.” Yes; this is doubtless the case; and if you continue the practice you will find after a time that two or three cups will be necessary to enable you to dispose of your dinner satisfactorily. Then if you persevere in the habit, in spite of the admonitions of your best medical adviser, nature, you will shortly find it quite impossible to swallow a sufficient quantity of the beverage to make your stomach perform its work. Then you will begin to realize the fact that goading an organ into action is quite a different thing from encouraging and promoting its healthy activity by supplying it with healthful, nourishing food.
Do not be deceived by momentary sensations. Consider the ultimate effects, and you cannot fail to be convinced that instead of promoting digestion, tea and coffee are most effective disturbers of that function. How they interfere with digestion has already been explained.
TEA AND COFFEE RELIEVE HEADACHE.
How invariably the unsuspecting lady resorts to a cup of tea to relieve the distress occasioned by that common malady, sick-headache! Yes; and how invariably that same sick-headache returns! Who ever heard of a person who was permanently cured of sick-headache by tea-drinking? Such a thing would be impossible. Tea and coffee are among the prime causes of sick-headache, although they afford temporary relief, just as tobacco and alcohol are prolific causes of tremors, but yet appear to steady the trembling nerves for a short time.
TEA AND COFFEE SUPPLY THE PLACE OF FOOD.
Many people who are largely addicted to the use of the articles will prefer a cup of strong tea or coffee to a hearty meal of nourishing food. Indeed, it is a general custom with the English peasant to reduce his bread fare one-half that he may be able to procure a cup of tea to accompany the remainder. Dr. Arlidge, of England, has recently called attention to the fact that the women of the working-classes in that country have carried this practice of substituting tea for food to such an extent that they are beginning to manifest the most unmistakable evidence of narcotic poisoning. Tea silences the demand of the system for food, but it does not in any respect replace it, as may be seen by the weakened energies and the attenuated forms of those who use it largely.
TEA AND COFFEE INCREASE MENTAL VIGOR.
Those who make this claim mistake mental activity for mental strength. A greater error could not be made; and yet this fallacious notion is very popular. See the poor victim of delirium tremens trembling with fright at the fantastic and threatening shapes which his excited fancy portrays. His imagination was never so active in health. Now it makes him see forked tongues darting at him from every corner, and converts every shadow into a monster. Who will venture the assertion that his mind is stronger now than when in health? Listen to the ravings of the patient during the delirium of fever; the mind is certainly active, but it cannot be said to be strong; for strength is only consonant with health.
When the brain is stimulated to unnatural activity by tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol or any other stimulant, it makes violent attempts to accomplish whatever task may be imposed upon it. But the calm, deliberate action of the mind is impossible. The highest efforts of genius can never be exhibited under such circumstances. Is it argued that some of our greatest mental workers, as Voltaire and Jonson, were users of tea or coffee, we would, in answer, call attention to the nervousness, irritability and irascibility, which notably characterized the last years of the life of each of these men. Here we see the legitimate results of the use of tea and coffee, and it is very probable that had these men been more nearly correct in their habits of life, they would have achieved even greater success than they did.
TEA AND COFFEE CORRECT THE INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF POOR WATER.
When no other reason can be offered for the continuance of a bad habit, this one is frequently presented. Its absurdity makes it almost insusceptible of candid consideration. How strange that the addition of a poison to water already bad enough should improve it! The assertion is wholly without foundation in fact, and never would have been advanced as an argument by tea-drinkers except for the lack of any better. Two poisons are always worse than one unless they neutralize each other; but no such chemical properties are claimed for tea or coffee.
OBITUARY
By W. B. Everhart
DIED, of paralysis, at Clear Lake, Hamilton county, Iowa, June 24, 1877, Sister Julia Ann Nickeson, aged forty-nine years. Sister Nickeson embraced the truth, by reading our tracts and papers, and united with the Hooks Point church, during the labors of Elder J. H. Morrison last spring. She leaves a husband and several children to mourn her absence and the loss of her counsel; but they sorrow not as others who have no hope. Remarks were made by the writer from Job 14:10, to a large gathering of relatives and friends.
W. B. EVERHART.
The Jews' Exemption from Epidemics.
In the case of the London small-pox epidemic the remarkable fact has been noticed that only one case of this frightful disease has engaged the attention of the medical officer of the Jewish Board of Guardians. The same exception from epidemic diseases has been noticed among the Jews in all countries, and is attributed to their mode of living. It is an interesting question in a sanitary point of view to what extent mortality from such diseases may be limited to pork-eaters. Bilious disease is largely attributed, it is well known, to the use of pork. But the Jews not only reject pork from their dietary, but they also, under their religious laws, exercise extraordinary care to secure the meat of animals that are in a perfectly sound and healthy condition when killed. In our Washington markets, for instance, they deal only with certain butchers, who provide them with meat from animals selected and killed under the conditions of Jewish rules.—Washington Star.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully,” (margin, negligently). Jer. 48:10.
Received for the Signs.
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Minnesota T and M Society $200.00, A J Stover 10.00, Lucius Church 10.00.
California Conference Fund.
Healdsburg church $10.00.
Donations to the Signs.
H L Warner $2.00.
California Tent Fund.
San Francisco church $2.00.
Donations to Danish Mission.
O Rasmussen $10.00.
Scripture References.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
1. The prophecy of Daniel fulfilled. The prophecies of Dan. ii, vii, and viii, which reach to the end of this dispensation, are all fulfilled except the very closing specifications. The empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome, have successively arisen and passed away as foreshown. The fifth universal empire, which is God’s everlasting kingdom, is immediately impending. All that remains to be accomplished is, that the image be smitten upon the feet by the stone cut out of the mountain, chap. ii, 34, 44; that the beast be slain, and his body given to the burning flame; vii, 11, 26; or that the little horn, which has waxed exceeding great, be broken without hand. Chap. viii, 25. For a full explanation of this subject see works on Daniel, for sale at the Signs of the Times Office, Oakland, California.
“In the month of May [the 19th], 1780, there was a terrific dark day in New England, ‘when all faces seemed to gather blackness,’ and the people were filled with fear. There was great distress in the village where Edward Lee lived—‘men’s hearts failing them for fear’ that the Judgment day was at hand, and the neighbors all flocked around the holy man, for his lamp was trimmed and shining brighter than ever, amidst the unnatural darkness. Happy and joyful in God, he pointed them to their only refuge from the wrath to come, and spent the gloomy hours in earnest prayer for the distressed multitude.”—Tract No. 379, of American Tract Society—Life of Edward Lee. See also President Dwight, in Historical Collections; Gage’s History of Rowley, Mass.; Sears’ Guide to Knowledge; Stone’s History of Beverly.
“The darkness of the following evening was probably as gross as has ever been observed since the Almighty first gave birth to light. I could not help conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable darkness, or struck out of existence, the darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes, was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.”—Mr. Tenny, of Exeter, N. H., quoted by Mr. Gage, “to the Historical Society.” See also Portsmouth Journal, May 20, 1843, and Stone’s History of Beverly.
Prof. Olmstead, of Yale college, speaking of the extent of the falling stars of 1833, says, “It was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth’s surface.”
The People’s Magazine, Boston, January, 1834, says that the “Rockingham (Va.) Register calls it a rain of fire.”
The Journal of Commerce says that “three hundred miles this side of Liverpool, the phenomenon was as splendid as here.”
The Lancaster (Pa.) Examiner says, “The air was filled with innumerable meteors, or stars.”
For fuller quotations from history, and further proofs that the darkening of the sun and moon was fulfilled in the notable dark day and night of May 19, 1780, and that the sign of the falling stars was fulfilled November 13, 1833, see “Brief Exposition of Matthew Twenty-four,” for sale at the Signs of the Times Office, Oakland, Cal.
PROSPECTS were never more promising for the advancement of the cause in California than now. The Lord is working, and his people and servants are working. On Tuesday, Brother M. G. Kellogg of San Francisco started for Plainsburg, Merced county, to follow up an interest awakened there by a lady embracing the truth from reading our tracts. She has been circulating these tracts among her neighbors, who now want to hear more upon these subjects.
Brother Garey has had some interesting meetings in Yuba county. A number there are convinced of the truthfulness of these doctrines.
Brother Lucius Church, who went out with a colporteur's license, has had quite an interesting time in going from house to house in Sonoma, selling books, obtaining subscribers for periodicals and conversing with the people.
Brother Dimmick, while canvassing for an agricultural paper in Humboldt county, has done considerable missionary work, obtained a number of subscribers, spoken a number of times to the people and created a spirit of investigation in many places.
The reports from all our tents show that there is a sure and steady advance.
My meetings in San Francisco last Sabbath and First-day were encouraging. The Lord is at work there and blessing the efforts of Brethren Israel and Chittenden. They are doing all in their power to prepare the way for a campaign with the large tent immediately after the camp-meeting. They are now trying to secure a lot in a central place, where a good interest can be raised. May we all be stimulated to activity while we can work.
J. N. Loughborough.
Sacramento, Tent No. 1.
By W. M. Healey; B. A. Stephens
YESTERDAY we held our first Sabbath meeting in this city. About forty persons were present. After a short sermon several earnest testimonies were given. The spirit of the Lord was with us. We called for those present who had decided to keep all of God's commandments to rise, and about thirty took their stand. Most of these were keeping their first Sabbath. Others are interested.
Last night we were challenged for a discussion of the Sabbath question, by a “No law” man. We feel that the next two weeks will be weeks of special toil and anxiety, and we earnestly request that as you read this your prayers may go up to God in behalf of his servants and cause in this place.
July 28, 1878. W. M. HEALEY,
B. A. STEPHENS.
Grangeville, Tent No. 2.
By J. L. Wood
MEETINGS were commenced in the tent at this place on the evening of July 20. The interest to hear is good. I have now commenced speaking upon the subject of the state of the dead. Brother Burnett is with me, caring for the tent, and improving the opportunity to become better informed upon these important points of doctrine. J. L. Wood.
Martinez, Tent No. 3.
By J. D. Rice; A. Brorsen
We now have our tent pitched in this place, and shall commence meetings here to-morrow evening.
Meetings at Pacheco closed on the evening of July 23. Four more have signed the covenant, making in all nine who are now keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Several others are observing the Sabbath, some of whom it is hoped will accept other points of our faith. We shall meet with this little company upon the Sabbath. J. D. Rice, July 28. A. Brorsen.
North Pacific Mission.
By I. D. Van Horn
We have our tent pitched in the city of Portland, and have given sixteen discourses. Our congregations have averaged about two hundred, and there' is a good interest manifested on the part of many.
Last evening we introduced the third angel's message and the Sabbath question. Some expressed their decided approval of the truth presented. We have invitations to visit, and we improve all such opportunities to do good. The Lord is giving us freedom in the Word, and we try to make the light shine as clear as possible.
I. D. VAN HORN.
Illinois T. and M. Society.
Whoever sent the names of Geo. Haman, Henry Alpers, C. Oliver, and Christiana Wilson, as subscribers to Signs to be charged to Ill. T. and M. Society, please report immediately to your State Secretary, F. M. T. Simonson, Sterling, Ill. She wishes to know which district to charge for them.
Camp-Meetings for 1877.
CAMP-MEETINGS are located and appointed as follows:
INDIANA, Kokomo, Aug. 9–14
OHIO, Newark, “ 10–20
NEW ENGLAND, Groveland, Mass., “ 22–28
ILLINOIS, “ 22–28
MAINE, Richmond, Aug. 29 to Sept. 4
VERMONT, Morrisville, September 6–11
CALIFORNIA, Yountville, “ 13–19
“ Tulare county, Sept. 26 to Oct. 1
California Camp-Meeting.
The camp-meeting for northern California will be held near Yountville, Napa county, on the Christian camp-ground, commencing September 13 and closing September 19. All tents should be pitched and the camp fully in readiness by the evening of the 12th. Labor upon the grounds will commence Sunday, September 9, and tents can be pitched any time between that and the evening of the 12th. We wish all our brethren and sisters to come in season to commence with the meeting and remain till the close.
Come to the meeting in the name of the Lord, come praying. Bring your families and friends along. CAMP-MEETING COMMITTEE.
California Conference.
By John Norton Loughborough; John Morrison; W. C. White
THE annual session of the California State Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connection with the Yountville camp-meeting, September 13–19. First session at 5 P. M. of the 13th. Each company of Sabbath-keepers should elect delegates immediately, and fill out the blank credentials which will be sent by the State secretary. Each church of twenty members or less is entitled to one delegate, and one delegate for every additional fifteen members over the first twenty.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH,
JOHN MORRISON,
W. C. WHITE,
Conf. Com.
California Yearly Missionary Meeting.
By John Norton Loughborough; A. Loughborough
THE annual meeting of the California State Tract and Missionary Society will be held in connection with the Yountville camp-meeting, September 13-19. First session at 5 P. M. of the 14th. There will be an election of officers and directors, and the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, President.
A. M. LOUGHBOROUGH, Secretary.
Oakland, Cal
By John Norton Loughborough
Tents! Notice!
Those wishing to rent 10x12 tents at $4 each for the Yountville camp-meeting, should send orders at once, that I may secure the tents.
Address, J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Oakland, Cal
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH
By John Norton Loughborough
Appointments.
OAKLAND, Sabbath and First-day, August 4 and 5.
ST. HELENA, evening of August 8.
MIDDLETOWN, Lake county, Sabbath and First-day, August 11 and 12.
NAPA, evening of August 16.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH
Change of Appointments.
By John Norton Loughborough
CIRCUMSTANCES over which I have no control require a change of my appointments, thus postponing my visit to Lake county one week.