Earlier text: EMANATION AND ABSORPTIONMASTER!
By Theodore L. Cuyler
THERE is prodigious power in a single word, when that word is large in its meanings and fragrant with rich associations. The name “Jesus” suggests salvation from the curse of sin. The name “Christ” describes him who was anointed to be his people’s king and teacher. The word “Immanuel” signifies that God is with us in the person of his Son. There is another name which we do not so often employ, but which is a concentrated bundle of rays illuminating the relation of Jesus Christ to his own. It is that word which Mary of Magdala uttered in that moment of rapturous discovery at the sepulcher. Her happy, loving heart simply exclaimed, “My Master!” and she threw herself at his feet in joyful reverence. He gently checks her gesture of devout affection, by saying to her: “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father.” That word “Master” is a profound one, as an expression of love and loyalty, a deep well from which we may draw up plentiful suggestions both of duty and delight. Jesus himself acknowledged the relation when he said: Ye call me Master; and ye say well, for so I am. “One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” He has a right to this title. Jesus owns every Christian in the universe. They were his from before the foundation of the world. “They are mine, and thou gavest them unto me” was the claim he made on the eve of his redeeming sacrifice upon the cross. We are not our own. Jesus purchased us with atoning blood. And the very essence of conversion consists in a change of masters. Instead of that cruel slave-driver, the devil—whose only wages is death—the penitent convert takes on the easy yoke of obedience to a new Master. The thoroughness of conversion depends mainly upon the degree to which the old bondage to sin is thrown off and plucked out, and the new allegiance to Christ is made genuine and complete. Thousands commit the wretched folly of trying to serve two opposing masters. During the week Mammon gets the lion’s share of time, thought, and purse. Christ is put off with a stingy hour or two on the Sunday and a few spasmodic devotions. If their trunk is on the church side of the dividing wall, their branches hang over on the world’s side, and there the fruit falls. Brother Demas and brother Plutus pay their church contributions grudgingly, as to an assessor of taxes; but what they give for their carriages, their opera tickets, their equipage and wardrobes, is given “with a will.” Into the very core of thousands of hearts bores this insatiate worm of selfishness, eating out the heart and leaving to Christ only the shell of an outward profession. How will such professors dare to call Jesus their Master at the day of Judgment? To a genuine Christian, Jesus is the best and kindest of masters. Life is a school; and, as I sit on my bench learning the lessons which he appoints for me, my loving “Magister” comes to me, and kindly explains many a “hard saying” and helps me with spiritual light. My soul burns within me when he talks with me and opens up the wondrous discoveries of his love. Sometimes he employs the rod of discipline, but never unless I deserve it. To my aching heart he says: “Whom I love I chasten, and I correct every child whom I receive unto myself. The disciple is not above his master.” There is a wonderfully close connection between these two words disciple and discipline. If I am the one, I must expect the other. What am I placed in Christ’s school for, except to be instructed, and chastised, and purified, and strengthened, and prepared to graduate at last into the higher class of Heaven? Jesus governs his school by a law of love, yet it is law. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” He has a right to mark out our studies, prescribe our tasks, set our copies, chastise our waywardness, and enforce his rules. The highest attainment any pupil of Christ can reach is perfect obedience. Let me emphasize this word obedience. It is the foremost word for every home. The besetting sin of American households is lax authority and filial disobedience. Reverence for parents is giving place to pert self-assertion and premature “having my own way.” If a parent is not the master of his home, he is doomed to be the sorrowful slave of a set of selfish young tyrants and tormentors. When a merchant wished a boy in his establishment, a crowd of applicants appeared. He inserted this advertisement, to sift them: “Wanted.—A boy who always obeys his mother.” The next day only two lads applied for the place. We might enlarge the wise merchant’s advertisement, and announce as follows: “Wanted.—The sons and daughters who always obey their parents; the workmen who obey their employers’ orders; the magistrates who always obey the laws; and members for all our churches who gladly do their Master’s will.” Obedience is the crowning grace of a follower of Christ. Nay, it is the very essence of holiness. To learn Christ’s will is the chief purpose of Bible study and of prayer. To do Christ’s will is the loftiest attainment to which any child of grace can aspire this side of Heaven. The essential qualities of holy obedience are: a willingness to let our loving Master rule us; a compliance with his orders, without murmuring; a readiness to be nothing, in order that he may be all in all; and as faithful a service of an unseen Lord as if he were actually and visibly by our side. To deny sinful self is hard; but to deny “righteous self” and to claim no merit for the best thing we can do is a glorious victory. I have no special liking for monkery; but some devout thoughts and happy suggestions have issued from the cells of monasteries. There is a legend that a certain willful monk of the St. Franciscan order stubbornly refused to obey the commands of his superior. A severe punishment was prepared for him. His associates dug a deep, upright grave, and placed him in it. After a few shovelfuls of earth had been thrown in, the superior, St. Francis, said to the monk: “Is your self-will dead yet? Do you yield?” The iron will made no response. The burying process went on till the earth reached the loins, and then to the shoulders, and then the lips. A few moments more and those lips would have been silenced; but the iron will broke, and the submissive friar meekly answered: “I am dead.” Oh! how often our all-wise Master puts us into a deep pit of trial, to subdue our pride, or to tame our passions, or to break our stubborn self-will. Blessed is he who can look up into the countenance of Jesus, and honestly say: Master, my rebellious self is dead, that thou mayest live in me, and that I may live for thee and thee alone! Bonar, the sweetest of living hymn writers, has wrought well this idea of complete submissiveness to Jesus in these loyal lines:— “Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be;
Lead me by thine own hand,
Choose out the path for me. “Smooth let it be, or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it matters not—
It leads me to thy rest. “I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might,
Choose thou for me, my Lord;
So shall I walk aright.” —Theodore L. Cuyler, D. D., in Independent. THE DURATION OF MEMORY.
By J. O. Collins
The power and duration of the memory is a subject worthy of serious reflection. When events long since lost sight of in the bustle and excitement of active life are recalled by the merest accident, and the thoughts and feelings which had slumbered in forgetfulness for years are once more experienced, we are astonished at the vividness of our memory of scenes that had seemed to be utterly lost, and we mentally inquire the cause. By investigation, however, we learn that science has ascertained that the memory is governed by certain fixed laws by which these mental exercises are recalled. It is said that it was the opinion of Lord Bacon that no thoughts are lost, but that the mind possesses within itself powers which whenever fully brought into action are capable of promptly and perfectly restoring the collected acts and feelings of a man's whole past existence. Some other very able writers have pursued this subject so far as to conclude that all thoughts and feelings are imperishable. The ability of the mind to restore its past experiences has been inferred partially from the testimony of persons who have been rescued when on the point of drowning. They have said that when in that situation, the operations of the mind were so quickened that their whole past life, with its thousand minute incidents, has instantly passed before them and been viewed as in a mirror. Hence evidence is afforded that the mind may be so aroused as to render ideas which had long lain dormant objects of vivid consciousness. If this doctrine be true, there is one consideration in connection with it which is of the highest importance. The Bible teaches that in the Judgment all the deeds done here in the body will be investigated, including every secret thing, and that we shall also give an account there for every idle word spoken by us. Objections have sometimes been raised on this point that we could never feel the justice of the decisions of the Judgment without a knowledge of all the minute acts of our past life on which that decision is based, and that such knowledge is impossible. But with the view that nothing is wholly forgotten, this objection immediately vanishes. And when we consider that a faithful record of our every-day life is preserved in Heaven, and that the final decision will be rendered in accordance with what is “written in the books,” may we not suppose that when that record is presented, and its contents scanned, the mind will summon from its hidden recesses, and clearly present before us, a perfect representation of the past, and bear witness to the justice of the decision rendered? Truly, man is fearfully and wonderfully made. The acts of his every-day life leave their impress on the memory to corroborate the record of his character on high, and thus vindicate the justice of God in pronouncing his final destiny. Good Manners Never Go Out of Fashion
THERE is only one thing that keeps in fashion all the year, and that is good manners. It is always in good taste to say something kindly, or do a generous deed. The world is so constituted, also, that it never fails to appreciate. You can hardly lift your hat to a passer-by without compelling him to do the same thing, or resist a temptation without receiving the applause even of those who have yielded to it. Woman's Growth, Culture, and Usefulness
WHETHER woman is inferior, superior, the equal or the complement of men, is not ours to say; but her physical, moral, and mental growth and culture can never receive too much aid; and in the limitless fields of opportunity the widest liberty should be given to her usefulness. A noble and exalted manhood requires, as a precedent, a noble and exalted motherhood. “TWO LIVING PICTURES.”
By D. T. Call
In the Crisis of Dec. 4, Bro. Couch has the following in an editorial: “ ‘England is relied upon as the most efficient national instrumentality in the speedy conversion of the world,’ and asks the following questions in relation to England’s fitness for the work which theologians have assigned to her: ‘Is the English nation preparing for such a holy, responsible work? Is the nation becoming more pure and Christ-like, so as to warrant the expectation of a great increase of gospel light and power in the enlightenment and conversion of the hundreds of millions now in moral darkness? Is the standard of Christian purity and morality rising or falling? Is it indicating an increase or decrease of evangelizing power?’” These questions, I fear, must be answered negatively; for if such were the fact, we should see the English world awakening to a realization of the want and misery that exists among the poorer classes of her people, while the more favored ones are rolling in wealth. An increase of spirituality would be indicated by an increased manifestation of benevolence and love. That this is not the condition of affairs at present existing in England is apparent from the following, which we clip from the Terre Haut Express, under the heading, “Two Living Pictures,” and which gives a sad picture of woe and want on the one hand, while on the other it gives us a view of the covetousness and hard-heartedness of both priests and lords, to whom the eyes of the world are looking for the accomplishment of that marvel of grace—the conversion of the world. “Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Here they are:— “London, Nov. 20, 1878. Appalling distress and destitution exists among the mechanics and laborers of Sheffield. Hundreds exist in tenements without clothing or furniture, all having been sold or pawned to procure food. They are without fuel, and dependent upon the charity of the neighbors.” In writing of the poor of England Prof. Kirk, of Edinburgh, says, “There are seventy thousand souls in the east end of London who must emigrate speedily or perish.” “In the vast hives of industry in Lancashire there are a great number who must also emigrate or die.” “Now look at this picture.” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven.” Here they are also:— The Archbishop of Canterbury’s salary is.....$76,000
Archbishop of York...............................56,000
Bishop of London.................................50,000
Bishop of Durham.................................40,000
Bishop of Winchester.............................35,000
Bishop of Ely....................................27,000
Six Bishops have each............................25,000
Eight have each..................................22,500
Eight others each................................27,000
Twenty-nine Deans each............................7,700
One hundred and twenty-eight Canons each..........5,000 In the whole united kingdom eight persons own more than 220,000 acres each, and no less than forty-one persons own more than 100,000 acres each. The number of acres held by a few of the largest of the owners is as follows:— Duke of Sutherland........................1,358,425 acres.
Duke of Buccleugh and Queensbury.............459,260 “
Sir James Matheson...........................406,070 “
Earl of Breadalbane..........................372,629 “
Earl of Seafield.............................305,891 “
Duke of Richmond.............................286,407 “
Earl of Fife..................................257,662 “
Alexander Matheson...........................220,433 “
Duke of Athol.................................194,640 “
Duke of Devonshire............................193,121 “
Duke of Northumberland.........................185,515 “
Duke of Argyle................................175,114 “ “Whole districts have been nearly depopulated to make room for game parks, and where millions of sheep were once raised to feed and clothe humanity, only deer are kept to gratify the sporting propensities of an idle aristocracy.” Ruskin says: “Though England is deafened with spinning wheels, her people have no clothes; though she is black with digging coal, her people have not fuel, and they die of cold; and though she has sold her soul for grain, they die of hunger.” The above, which I have copied verbatim, gives a sad picture of the “heaped-up treasures” of these last days, and argues ill for the conversion of the world if that work is to be accomplished by British instrumentalities. “Whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” Well may Paul say that in the “last days” “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous.” If this condition of things exists in England—the Christian nation—God help the rest of the world. Brethren, be patient, stablish your heart, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.—D. T. Call, in Crisis. The hopes which have been aroused by the excitements in the Christian world, the revivals, religious conventions, etc., for the few years last past, have not been realized; and the thoughtful are regarding the situation with feelings of alarm. Ministers of different denominations, in conference with D. L. Moody, in Baltimore, propose to extend the week of prayer through the entire month of January, and to pray for a revival of religion throughout the land. Speaking of past observances of the week of prayer, they say:— “The observance of this week has been attended with great blessings in the past; but, as is well-known, in many cases the cheering expectations excited have failed to be realized. Though all seemed ripe for large spiritual results, the work having come to an end, the interest has subsided. “It is proposed to follow up the approaching week of prayer by continuous effort in all the churches through that month.” They then proceed to state the alarming features of our times which suggest the necessity of a great awakening, as follows:— “The signs of the times point to the need of a great quickening of religious life. The forces of evil concentrated in our great cities, the financial and political corruption, the alarming encroachments on the Sabbath, the thickening snares for the young, the growing skepticism, as well as the intensely secular spirit of the age, are enough to awaken apprehension for our institutions, and for the social fabric itself. Can anything short of a great quickened religious life arrest this tide of evil?” That observing persons should see these things is natural. How can any one help seeing them? That they should feel alarm, and cast about for some way to avert the direful results so visibly threatened, is well. But in their present efforts they are like men who beat the air. They leave out from the list of the implements of their warfare those weapons which would be mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. A great sin lies at the door of Christendom. The law of God is ignored—in too many cases despised. God’s Sabbath is trodden down by professedly Christian feet. Of this sin they must repent by turning from it. The time has come for a reform right here. It is laid down in prophecy and must be fulfilled. The Judgment hastens on apace. A people must be prepared; and they who are prepared will be found not only loving and trusting Christ, but also loving and obeying God, keeping his law because, like Paul, they delight in it after the inward man. Vain will be the hopes of those who in this age and land of gospel light, and under the sound of the warning message which is going forth, meet their returning King as commandment-breakers. Though they may say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name,” he will say, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” ἀνομία, “violation of law.” Neither can God bless to any lasting good, efforts at religious reform put forth outside of the agencies which he is now employing to fit a people for that crowning event, the coming of his Son. Bishop Simpson, in the following extract from his Yale Lecture No. 5, on preaching, published in the Independent of Jan. 9, 1879, gives his “experience” on sermonizing. In motive, sincerity of purpose, earnestness, directness of effort, and determination to secure results, it should have more imitators than we find at the present day:— “As to sermonizing, I feel my incompetency to advise. I have never been a systematic sermonizer. I have already said to you that in my early ministry I never had any hope of becoming a successful preacher, in the sense of being an orator. In addition to this, my health was very delicate, and I didn’t expect to live long. In that time there were no theological schools of the church to which I belong in this country, and no theological school of any character in the West had gained much reputation. Hence, I commenced my ministry without any specific theological training. I had read my Bible from earliest childhood—indeed, I do not remember the time when I could not read—and my study of the original languages of the Bible, especially the Greek, had been for years a delightful occupation. But no one had told me how to prepare a sermon. I had listened to good preachers, but the only sermons I had ever read were those of Mr. Wesley. I did not know there was such a thing as a skeleton or a book of skeletons of sermons. In my youthful innocence, I would as soon have stolen money from a bank as to attempt to appropriate anything from a sermon which I had either heard or read. I remember an old minister once put into my hands and offered to loan me a book of sermon sketches; but I happened to have common sense enough to decline the offer.” “So I began to preach. I did not try to make sermons. I felt that I must, at the peril of my soul, persuade men to come to Christ. I must labor to the utmost of my ability to get sinners converted and believers advanced in holiness. For this I thought, studied, wept, fasted, and prayed. My selection of texts, my plan of discourse, was only and always with the aim to persuade men to be reconciled to God. I never spoke without the deepest feeling; and unless I saw a strong divine influence on the congregation or knew of some soul being converted I felt sad and sought retirement to humble myself before God in prayer. My sermons were not well arranged. Sometimes I had divisions; for I had heard ministers say firstly, secondly, and thirdly. Sometimes I had a line written out here and there, and sometimes a few catchwords on a scrap of paper, which, however, I seldom took into the pulpit. My ministry was one of exhortation rather than of sermonizing; and I looked for immediate results.” “So my early ministry was formed. Whatever method I had, it was purely my own and was adopted to bring men to God. None could have been more surprised than myself when I began to find, not only that souls were awakened and converted, but that my friends began to speak kindly of my simple talks as sermons. So I finished my first year. My second year I was stationed at Pittsburgh, where I was compelled to preach three times on Sunday and at least once during the week. I was so driven it seemed as if I could not change my plans. At the end of my first year in that city I expected to be relieved; but I was disappointed, and returned to the same congregation. In addition to my preaching, I led the public prayer-meeting one evening a week, conducted two classes, took a deep interest in the Sunday-school, and formed a class of young men, whom I helped in some degree to prepare for the ministry. And so, not expecting to be a preacher, I preached on; not expecting to live, I lived on. Many a time I resolved I would prepare better; and yet I found myself brought up to Saturday evening with comparatively slight preparation for the Sabbath. But I studied intensely. I rose early and spent my forenoons in mastering theology, philosophy, and the natural sciences, in which I was deeply interested. I worked on my feet, and found my sermons among the sick and the poor, in garrets and in cellars. Not expecting ever to do much in the pulpit, I spoke to men everywhere of Jesus and his love, and had the satisfaction of seeing many scores brought to the foot of the cross. I expected by-and-by to find leisure to make better sermons; but I have never found it. My boat is on the stream, and I have been borne down the rapid current without the time to rest, until I can almost see the mouth of the river and the boundless ocean beyond. I would not advise any man to do what I have done. I would breathe into you the devotion of my early ministry; but I would urge you to make better preparation and become a workman more approved both by God and man.” TO CORRESPONDENTS.
By Editor
1. “Is there any undisputed history that the 25th of December is the birth-day of Christ? If not, why should S. D. Adventists fall in the wake of the rest of the world in observing it, any more than they should keep Sunday or St. Patrick’s day? Wm. James.” Ans. 1. No; there is probably no proof that Christ was born on the 25th of December; at least we know of none. 2. Then why should S. D. Adventists pay any regard to that day? On this part of the inquiry let us look at a consideration or two. 1. It will be conceded on all hands that if the day of Christ’s birth was known, it could very properly be regarded with special honor, as an anniversary day of joy and gladness. 2. Since the day is irrecoverably lost, can we not still celebrate the occasion, as an occasion, without any particular regard to the day? 3. Since custom has largely, throughout Christendom, fixed on the 25th of December as the day, and since there is no positive proof against it, any more than there is in its favor, and since we hold it to be wrong to differ with our fellow-men unless there is some clear and positive reason for so doing, do we sacrifice any principle in concurring with this custom so far as to perform on that day whatever services we may think it proper to perform in honor of the birth of Christ into our world. 4. The difference between Sunday and Christmas is this: Men have set up Sunday as the Sabbath of the Lord. But the Bible plainly tells us that another day is the Sabbath. We therefore reject the Sunday and take the other day. For Christmas, on the other hand, men have designated the 25th of December. But neither the Bible nor history points out any other day as the true one. It may be this, it may be some other. We do not know and cannot determine. We would like to celebrate the day of Christ’s birth, if we knew which one it was. We would like to celebrate the occasion anyway. Then why not do this on the day which others have come to regard as the day in question, even if there is no evidence for it, seeing there is none against it? If Sunday stood upon a foundation in some respects similar to this, we would keep Sunday. For instance, it being desirable to observe one day of the week as a day of rest, if no day had been designated for that purpose, and it was impossible, aside from custom, to produce any evidence for one day over another, common practice having, under these circumstances, centered upon Sunday, we would keep it, too. The celebration of Christmas is, of course, only a voluntary matter. There is no obligation upon any one in regard to it; but there is certainly no harm that we can see in a sober and rational observance of the day, if the object in view is a good one. St. Patrick’s day, or any day regarded by the Roman Catholic church alone, is not a parallel case, and need not be considered. D. Norton: You will find in “Man’s Nature and Destiny” a full discussion of the subject of the resurrection of Moses, in the chapter on the Transfiguration. HEAR, YE! HEAR, YE!
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Yes, it is too bad, altogether too bad; so I keep saying to myself as I visit among our Sabbath-keepers, and find how sadly they are dropping off their subscriptions for the REVIEW, the Instructor, and Good Health. Indeed, I think I am speaking safely when I say that at least one-third of our brethren do not see the REVIEW at all. I visited a church in Ohio where not a copy of the REVIEW, the Instructor, or Good Health was taken in the whole church, either by the elder, deacon, librarian, or anybody else. The Lord pity us when it comes to this. I wanted to make a strong appeal to our brethren in Ohio; but I met this difficulty on the start,—I could not reach them through any of our periodicals. The very ones I most wished to reach, never see them at all. Hence I have had to work every way to obtain the names of the Sabbath-keepers in the State, and then mail them this appeal directly. This sad state of things is not confined to Ohio. It is just so in every State where I have been; and what is worse, it is growing more so every year. And this is becoming the greatest cause of our weakness in the work. I can readily see some causes tending to produce this state of things. Special efforts have been made to circulate the Signs as a missionary paper. Its price has been put down below that of the REVIEW. Brethren have taken the Signs, single copies and in clubs, and have read the paper themselves and sent it to their friends. They have thought they were not able to take the other periodicals and so have dropped them; and finally a great many of them have dropped the Signs, and they are without a paper. If they take any paper at all, it is the Signs, because it is cheaper. I know of librarians and tract workers who are sending reading matter to others, who do not take the REVIEW themselves. There must be a reformation on this point. The very constitution of the tract society requires that all tract workers shall see that every Sabbath-keeper has our periodicals first. The directors and librarians are not doing their duty in this matter, and I am afraid that many of our ministers fail here. As we have so little preaching, all the instruction that many of our brethren have is received through our papers. If they drop these off, they begin to backslide, and, finally, if they do not entirely give up the truth, they become so lukewarm that they are of no service in the cause. What shall we do? We must not slacken our efforts in outside missionary work, but I am thoroughly impressed with the fact that there is a wonderful field for missionary labor among our own people, and that this is being sadly neglected. Brethren, this is too bad, too bad! We feel like saying with a voice of thunder that will reach the ears of all the officers in our Conferences, Look after the money that is contributed in the various churches for the support of the cause. If there is anything sacred, that ought to be guarded in the fear of God, it is the small contributions made by his people for the support of the various branches of the work. During the year of 1878 there has been not less than one hundred thousand dollars paid in on29 the S. B. and T. and M. fund and in special donations to help the work. Nearly all this money goes through the hands of the S. B. treasurers and the librarians, and thence through the hands of the different secretaries to the offices. There are more than five hundred librarians and seven hundred S. B. treasurers who handle this money, besides many scores of secretaries. Many of these persons are not accustomed to keeping books, or to adding up long columns of figures; and it is very easy for the most honest man to make a mistake in adding up a column of figures. As I have gone from Conference to Conference, and from church to church, I have looked over the books of these officers, and in almost every case I have found mistakes ranging from twenty-five cents up to twenty dollars. This is no small affair, hence every one of these books should be carefully examined and audited, and every figure looked over again. But whose duty is it to look after these books? It is the duty of the president of the Conference; and the man who does not do this is not fit to be a president. That is just what he is put in office for—to look after these things. If he does not know how to instruct these officers in keeping their books, then let him learn immediately. I know of cases where the president has visited a church year after year, and never even looked into the S. B. books, or librarian’s book, or even a clerk’s book. He does not know whether they are kept correctly or incorrectly. It is also the duty of each director to be familiar with all the books in his district, to look them all over, add up every column of figures, and see that they are kept correctly. The cause is growing larger, and this matter is becoming of more importance every year. Come, brethren, let us wake up and attend to our Master’s business. Once more I am constrained to call the attention of our brethren to this subject. Be it known, brethren, that our simple church organization is not a legal organization, one which can hold property; and yet in every Conference I find that our brethren who have built meeting-houses simply elect trustees from among the church members, and deed the property to them and their successors; but there is nothing lawful about this. Brethren holding their houses in this manner have no lawful title to them, and are liable to lose them at any time. The law requires that a legal society shall be lawfully organized, and trustees elected from among these members. This society is entirely independent of the church. It should have a clerk, and separate records of its own. Brethren, look after these matters. Once more we say, The church has a record and clerk of its own. The tract and missionary society has a librarian and record of its own. The S. B. fund has a treasurer and record of its own. The Sabbath-school has a secretary and record of its own. And the legal society which holds property has a record and clerk of its own. This should be kept entirely distinct, in separate books from those containing the church records. In some places these things are properly attended to; yet I think that I speak the truth when I say that one-half of our meeting-houses are not held lawfully, nor is there any record of the transactions of the societies. It is the duty of the presidents of the different Conferences to look after these matters. D. M. CANRIGHT. OUR PUBLICATIONS.
By James White
For several years past, our people have felt the importance of giving our publications a wide circulation. And the managers of our houses of publication have seconded the efforts of the people, in publishing largely; and in putting our publications down to very low prices. These efforts on the part of the publishers are very praiseworthy, if not carried too far. But the present embarrassed condition of these houses shows that one of the mistakes which has resulted in this embarrassment is the ruinous prices at which our publications have been sold. In 1866, when we returned to the REVIEW Office, after severe sickness, we found the managers paying ten per cent on thousands, and the capital stock reduced to $32,000. But in four years, with the blessing of God, the debts were paid, the stock raised to $75,000, and we had $5,000 in the banks. We shall not give our consent to the sale of our valuable publications at prices so much below those of other publishers. The most valuable commodity in the market should be the result of the wear of brain power and genius; but thirty-five years as an editor, author, preacher, and successful manager, has taught us that this is far from being the case. When, in 1861, the Publishing Association was instituted at Battle Creek, Mich., we gave our lists of subscribers and the right to republish all our works (since decided to have been worth at that time $10,000) to the Association, leaving us worth only $1,000; and we continued our labors as editor, manager, and preacher, at $6 per week. While this gave our people confidence in our sincerity, the success which attended our management gave them confidence in our ability to manage. With this confidence, responses to our calls for means have been met with a noble generosity, which we hope to see continued. JAMES WHITE. The adage has been in use for years, that “the fools are not all dead yet.” This is true, but this is not the worst of it. They are actually increasing, if we may judge from some exhibitions as reported in the papers. Illustration: One Madame Anderson has been walking on a wager to complete 2,700 quarter miles in as many quarter hours. She has just finished her performance. One dollar was charged for standing room in the hall during the closing scene, and two dollars for reserved seats. And yet, with these prices, two thousand persons were packed into the hall which would comfortably seat but one thousand. Twice the number were gathered outside, half women, where they endured the jam for hours without complaining. Some fainted. Inside, the hall was a roaring pandemonium. The band tried to play, but their loudest notes were drowned by the vociferous applause, the women joining with the men in the yells and wild excitement. And all for what? To see a woman make a fool of herself, and so to make fools of themselves. Suppose she could walk the distance in that time or could not—suppose she failed or succeeded? What of it? Have men and women become so oblivious to their manhood and womanhood, so lost to all ideas of what is noble and elevating, that they must condescend to act like madmen over such a scene as this? There is nothing in the earth or under the earth or in the sea to which we can compare it; for no other member of the animal kingdom would be guilty of actions so supremely foolish. Madame Anderson will now be under the necessity of submitting to the most careful medical treatment, to enable her to rally from her severe physical prostration. CALLS FOR MEANS.
By R. F. Cottrell
Covetousness would gladly see an end of calls for means to sustain the cause and carry forward the work in which we are engaged. But that point never will be reached till the work of the everlasting gospel is done. God is proving his people for their good. In this covetous, money-loving age he would have his people learn to “trust in the Lord, and do good;” and he appends the promise, “Verily, thou shalt be fed.” Shall we fear to trust in him? “Fear not little flock,” the kingdom is right before you; “sell that ye have and give alms, provide you bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens.” Instead of sighing and grieving, we should rejoice that God in his mercy is proving us. He wants to do us good; he wants to pour us out a superabundant blessing. And while he is proving us, in order to eradicate covetousness and distrust from our hearts, he calls upon us to prove him. Says he, “Prove me now herewith.” The blessing will be poured out, as soon as we make ourselves ready, by a compliance with the conditions, to receive it. The church is being brought back to primitive purity and zeal. Before the deliverance and translation of the remnant of God’s people, they must set such an example of unselfish devotion to the cause of truth and the salvation of men, as has not been seen since the days of the apostles. In those days many sold their property and gave it to the common cause. There was no compulsion in this; it was a free-will offering. This is evident from what Peter said to Ananias: “While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?” No compulsion then; none now. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and we have the opportunity to prove whether our heart’s affections are on our earthly treasure, or on the cause of God, the salvation of souls, and the kingdom of Heaven. Our houses of worship, and our several institutions with their buildings and necessary things for carrying forward the work of God, are not to foster pride and vain-glory; but they will bear a testimony to this age of worldliness that there is a people who, believing that the end of all things is at hand, show their faith by their works, using freely their means to sound the warning to mankind, instead of penuriously hoarding them to be consumed in the day of the Lord, with no other use but to prove our want of faith and interest in the closing work of the Lord. Our buildings will be of use but a very little while; but while they do stand and are used in the cause of truth; they will bear a testimony to men that faith without works never can do. A reckless waste of means is not called for; but a liberal use of this world’s goods to advance the cause and sound the last warning to men, is a reasonable demand upon those who profess the faith which we do. Then let us bring in our tithes and offerings while they can be of use to others and ourselves. R. F. Cottrell.