The first person to complete the mothers’ normal course of the Fireside Correspondence School is Mrs. Lorinda A. Blodgett, of Southbridge, Mass. Although she is a mother of good education and much experience, having a family of several children, yet she felt the need of further suggestions, and has proved to be an apt and intelligent student. Evidently her success in home education has attracted the attention of her local and county school officers; for she recently received the following letter from the United States Commissioner of Education:—
“DEAR MADAM: Your name has been sent to the Bureau of Education by the county superintendent of schools, who indicates that you are interested in affairs concerning little children in the home and the school and in the community generally.
“The Home Education Division, which has just been established, will do whatever it can to help parents:—
“1. To further their own education by recommending to them interesting and valuable reading matter.
“2. In regard to the care and home education of their children, with reference to: (a) Physical care and health, sleep, food, etc.; (b) games and plays; (c) their early mental development; (d) the formation of moral habits.
“We hope to interest the boys and girls who have left school and are still at home, and by directing their home reading and study we may be able to further their education.
“It is our intention to issue bulletins and literature, practical in their character, which will be available to every home. The National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations has agreed to assist the Bureau of Education in this work, and can supply much literature not available through this office.
“If the parents of your school district could be brought together at the schoolhouse or any other good place, perhaps once a month, to discuss their common problems, it would be mutually helpful. Will you let us know if you are willing to take up this matter in your school district, and make a beginning by inviting some of the parents who are interested in such matters, and by enlisting, if possible, the cooperation of the teacher or teachers? The bureau will send a brief form for simple organization of a parents’ association if you desire it. We expect to have a great deal of valuable matter for the use of parents and teachers and for older boys and girls.
“Rightly used, the home is the most important factor in the education of children. Through its Home Education Division, the Bureau of Education is trying to help the home to do its best work. Your cooperation will be invaluable. Kindly let me know if we may expect it.
“Yours sincerely,
“[Signed] P. P. CLAXTON,
“Commissioner.”
This letter opens a broad field of usefulness to intelligent mothers who, by study and observation, will prepare themselves for leadership. They may conduct parents’ meetings in their own neighborhood, with the United States Department of Education to give them counsel and otherwise assist them by supplying them with valuable reading matter for parents and children. Even if they do not wish to lead out in this semipublic way, they would do well to write for reading matter for their personal benefit.
Commissioner Claxton delivered an address at the Foreign Mission Seminary a few weeks ago, in which he described and highly commended the hill school work of Professors Sutherland and Magan, of Nashville, Tenn. We were happy to form his acquaintance, and pleased to find him conversant with our educational work and favorable to its principles.
The Fireside Correspondence School will hereafter have sent to its students of the Early Education course for mothers the reading matter referred to in the Commissioner’s letter, and will also be pleased to secure this matter for any other mothers who are interested to make the request.
C. C. LEWIS, Principal,
Takoma Park, D. C.
Vacation Studies
By C. C. LEWIS
OUR schools are about to close, and students will soon be enjoying the vacation. How shall the time be spent to best advantage? Many will have their hands full of solid work, but all will have some leisure, and will want to keep in touch with their studies. They may have some subject to make up, some study to review, in order to square themselves with their courses; or they may wish to make credits for their regular work. To all such students the Fireside Correspondence School offers its assistance. It fills the chinks in our educational system. It reaches those who cannot avail themselves of the advantages of our regular schools. It is open all the year. The summer vacation is its best opportunity to help you. It has thirty subjects ready, and is adding to this list as fast as possible. The undersigned will be glad to correspond with any who may be interested in making the most of their vacation. Please write him freely in regard to your desires, addressing him at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C.
C. C. LEWIS, Principal.
Comfort in the Midst of Trials
We pluck some of our sweetest comforts from the very midst of our trials. I have noticed that the best berries grow on the sharpest thorns.—Talmage.
Canary Islands
By W. W. E.
THE following extract is taken from a letter received from Brother Bert B. Aldrich, who is our pioneer missionary in the Canary Islands, and shows how the way is already open for the introduction of the printed page:—
“The first part of February was occupied in some duties at the home. I was not well—was suffering somewhat from neuralgia of the stomach, and felt the necessity of rest and treatment, which I took, and also gave treatment to Brother French. We made a treatment table which was needed here in our new quarters. I also delivered a few books which had been ordered, and did some canvassing for tracts.
“The last two weeks were busier ones. The third week I went out in the south of the island and in forty-two hours took orders for forty-two copies of ‘Practical Guide,’ besides selling some tracts. ‘Practical Guide’ is a good seller. Three days in the last week were carnival feast days, and I could do nothing canvassing. Accordingly I made some missionary visits and gave a Bible reading far out in the country, and studied the prospectus of ‘Los Videntes’ (‘Daniel and the Revelation’).
“I felt that I ought to try to get the governor’s verbal permission to canvass for this book; so I called on him first. He took me to see several other officials, who each examined the prospectus quite fully, and finally I was taken to the secretary of the provincial government, who told me that I might go ahead, but they would neither give me permission nor refuse to tolerate the work with the religious books. They desired to remain neutral, unless forced to take issue against my work because of clerical interference. They advised me to purchase a license as venta de libros nuevosó usados en ambulancia (a colporteur of new books or books used). I accordingly made my application; and on presenting the written application to the collector of the government contributions, I was told that he had not yet received the proper blanks and receipts, but that I might go ahead. Accordingly I began to work among the merchants, and in two days (about eleven hours of actual work) took, with God’s help, eleven orders amounting to 89 pesetas for this truth-filled book. Better still, I found a merchant who, after critically examining the prospectus, said that he had been reading ‘Videntes’ in the municipal library of Santa Cruz, and enjoyed it very much and believed its teaching to be the truth.
“My talk with this gentleman was a feast to my soul. He said he went nearly every evening to read that book in the municipal library. I talked with him on the certainty of sacred prophecy and the Eastern Question. He listened attentively, and when I spoke of his not being a good Catholic he replied, ‘I am not a Roman Catholic, but I am an apostolic catholic.’ I replied that I also was an apostolic catholic, and shook hands with him. It did me good to have a Spanish gentleman tell me so decidedly that he was a true catholic. I believe truly that God is preparing the way for a great and a quick work in these darkened fields. I believe that the time is here to sell these truth-filled books. We can sow the seed of the kingdom, but God alone can give the increase.
“I am still enjoying the privilege of studying God’s Word with some individuals in Santa Cruz and in the country near by from time to time. Romanism has brought darkness on this country, but the Lord of the harvest is preparing the way for the finishing of his work. Pray for the ignorant, superstitious people of the Canary Islands.”
W. W. E.
Publishing Work in India
By William Ambrose Spicer
We learn from India that the Oriental Watchman is having probably the largest circulation of any religious paper in India, just as in China the Chinese Signs of the Times evidently has the largest circulation of any religious journal there. Of recent activities in the production and circulation of the publications by the India press, Elder S. A. Wellman, of Lucknow, writes:—
“We have not a copy of the Temperance Annual left on our hands. Altogether ten thousand were sold, and we have prospects of at least doubling the number for the coming year. Perhaps Brother Enoch has done the best of any in his part of the field.” The plan that he has worked for the Temperance Annual certainly gets the papers where we want them. He took a sheet to the leading men of the Indian and European communities who are interested in temperance, asked them to subscribe something to the fund for the distribution of these papers among the high school and college students, had an influential committee of five appointed to cooperate with him in looking after the distribution, and then gave short temperance talks in the schools before distributing the papers. They disposed of nearly four thousand in this way, and raised the money among the people for the purpose. They promise ise to make their list for the west side ten thousand for the coming year. In addition we are approaching some of the native princes of the country, with a view to having them take the paper for distribution among the school children of their state schools.
“We are preparing booklets, cheap ones in the vernacular, for sale among the Indian peoples. Our program includes literature on the second coming of Christ, on health and temperance, the Sabbath, the state of the dead, and other truths held by us as a people. We are also working out a list of tracts on these subjects—free literature in the line of small leaflets. In another two years we ought to have a very comprehensive survey of the entire message in abbreviated form. We are making these as effective as possible, and I believe that it will be one of our strongest features in the giving of the message to this land.”
W. A. SPICER.
News and Miscellany
Notes and clippings from the daily and weekly press
— The population of Cuba is 2,387,000, according to the new census. The secretary of the interior submitted a report to this effect to President Menocal. The population in 1907 was 2,048,980.
— The report of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce shows that in the last fiscal year more than 118,000,000 pounds of American prunes were shipped to foreign lands. More than sixty countries were purchasers of our prunes. Germany was the chief customer, having purchased 49,000,000 pounds. The total value of the year's prune export trade was about $7,000,000.
— In the Dachstein Mountain of Austria there are numerous caverns, among them being one which is 6,500 feet long, containing huge ice masses and said to be the largest ice cave in the world. Though a scorching sun may be blazing outside on the bare mountain rock, the Scientific American states that there is always a wind blowing through this underworld, freezing everything within its reach.
— Harvard reports that the total enrollment of students in that school numbers 35,000. Of these 15,000 are Massachusetts men; New York claims 5,759, of whom New York City gave 3,634 and Brooklyn 274; nearly 2,000 came from other countries. Law seems to be the favorite profession among Harvard students, the law course having been chosen by 6,000 of them. Teaching comes next with 4,296, and physicians with 3,375.
— Excavations of the old Roman city of Uriconium, England, are adding greatly to the knowledge of Britain's occupation by the Romans. This center of ancient civilization was situated at the junction of the principal Roman roads, one from London in the southeast and another passing through the legendary borders of Carleon, in South Wales. The circle of the city measured about three miles, and inclosed an area of 170 acres, which is about twenty acres larger than Pompeii.18
— The world's navies number 2,291 war vessels.
— Charles W. Post, millionaire cereal food manufacturer of Battle Creek, Mich., shot himself to death on May 9, at his home in Southern California, during a period of temporary insanity.
— About 5,000 ardent advocates of woman's suffrage marched from the White House to the national Capitol on Saturday, May 9, and there demanded of Congress the passage of the Bristow-Mondell resolution favoring equal suffrage.
— The government has decided to issue stamps of five new denominations—seven, nine, twelve, twenty, thirty cents,—colored, respectively, black, pink, maroon, light blue, vermilion. These are intended for convenience in mailing parcels, but will be good for regular letter postage.
— On the morning of May 5, a dynamite magazine in the government of Panama exploded, resulting in the death of eight persons and the serious injury of nineteen others. The concussion shook Panama, and in addition to obliterating the magazine, caused considerable damage in the neighborhood.
— Mme. Lillian Nordica, the famous American prima donna, died at Batavia, Java, on May 10, 1914. Mme. Nordica had been ill since the steamer “Tasman,” on which she was a passenger, went ashore on Bramble Cay, in the Gulf of Papua, December 28 last. Nervous prostration was followed by pneumonia.
— Two hundred and fifty Mohammedan Albanians were captured by the Epirote invaders at Hormova, Albania, on May 5. They were crucified in the Orthodox church at Kodra, according to information received by the Albanian government. The Epirotes are said to have set fire to the church afterward, and allowed the bodies to burn.
— Another step toward the complete preparedness of the American forces in Mexico to meet any emergency was taken on May 6, when the fleet received 5,000 khaki uniforms for the bluejackets, in case they should be called upon for service ashore. The conspicuousness of the white uniforms of the landing parties cost many lives during the first days of the occupation of Vera Cruz.
— Resumption of work in many of the mines, and quiet in all the Colorado strike districts, were reported recently from the cavalry commanders in charge of the United States troops stationed there. In the various districts forty-nine shotguns, seventeen revolvers, seventeen rifles, and another machine gun were surrendered. In the Trinidad district most of the sixty mines are working.
— An earthquake bringing disaster to many towns and villages near Mt. Etna, Sicily, is reported to have occurred May 9. The dead and wounded number hundreds, and the property loss is enormous. The seismic phenomenon was unprecedented in violence. The extension of the earthquake zone makes prompt aid to the sufferers practically impossible, although the authorities have dispatched thousands of soldiers in special trains for the scene of disaster.
— There are 38,325 women school-teachers in Japan, and 3,000,000 girls in the public schools.
— It is stated that throughout Sweden there are 500,000 total abstainers, or about ten per cent of the population.
— A board of army officers has recommended to Secretary Garrison that this government purchase the Bull Run battle field and convert it into a national park.
— The published report of Trinity Church Corporation, New York City, shows that aside from church buildings, chapels, and cemeteries, the church's property is valued as $16,204,512. Of this amount $15,812,400 is productive property.
— A Japanese tea garden six acres in extent is being moved on automobile trucks from Pasadena to Oak Knoll, Cal., where the owner of the garden has a new estate. The moving of the garden has now been in progress for more than a month, and it is estimated that it will be months more before the work is completed. There are more than $100,000 worth of rare trees, shrubs, and ornaments in the garden.
— According to figures just made public by experts in Paris, persons suffering from alcoholism form a quarter of the army of the insane in the municipality. Out of a total of 89,000 admitted to the asylums in the department where the tests have been made, it was found that 27,315 were victims of the drink habit, and the experts claim to have traced their insanity to alcohol. In the figures given out, the mental deficiency traceable to the drink habit is matter for serious thought, and should be pondered by the governments of all civilized countries.
— Two Chinese official experts are now in Europe studying the decimal or metric system, with a view to its adoption in China, where the advisory council in Peking has recently passed the first reading of a law which aims at establishing it. Japan has already adopted the metric system for its customs, and has it taught in schools and elsewhere. Sian, too, is about to do the same. The Russian minister of commerce and industry has announced that he is in favor of it, but owing to the huge size and vast and various population of Russia, some delay must occur before its establishment can be arranged.
— Mr. Henry Ford, of automobile fame, is insisting on decent, clean living for the men in his employ. Unless they conform to this, they will not benefit by the profit-sharing plan which has been established. Mr. Ford contends that he pays his men sufficient salaries to warrant their living in clean, comfortable homes, under conditions which make for good manhood and good citizenship. The married men are not allowed to have boarders in their families, but must keep their homes for themselves and their families. Forty-five investigators are inquiring into the home surroundings of each individual man, and many of them are found in deplorable environments. These will be warned not to disobey this rule. Another innovation of Mr. Ford's is an English school for the benefit of his foreign employees.
Publishing Department
By W. W. E.
N. Z. Town — — — General Secretary
W. W. Eastman — — — N. Am. Div. Secretary
Change of Workers
Brother C. G. Bellah, who for a number of years has so ably filled the position of general agent in the Central Union, has resigned to take up the work of the gospel minister. We are sorry to lose Brother Bellah from the colporteur work, but wish him much success in his future work. Thus another minister has been trained in our school and passed on, one who we trust will ever hold up before the people the importance of the printed page.
Brother J. A. McEachern, field agent of Ohio, has accepted a call from the Central Union Committee to fill the place made vacant by the resignation of Brother Bellah. Brother McEachern has been greatly blessed of the Lord in the four conferences where he has labored as field agent. He left a very large work in Ohio. We are sure the Central Union, as well as the Pacific Press, is to be congratulated upon its good fortune in receiving so zealous and earnest a laborer as Brother McEachern. We believe that his future work in that union will be greatly blessed of the Lord. W. W. E.
NOTICES AND APPOINTMENTS
Camp Meetings
ATLANTIC UNION
Massachusetts ................................ June 11-21
New York .................................... June 18-28
Western New York ............................ June 18-28
Maine ................................ June 25 to July 5
Northern New England, Claremont, N. H. ................................ Aug. 20-30
Southern New England .................... Aug. 27 to Sept. 6
CENTRAL UNION
Nebraska, Seward ............................ June 4-14
Wyoming, Edgemont, S. Dak. .................. June 11-21
COLUMBIA UNION
West Pennsylvania, Homestead Park, Pittsburgh ........................ June 11-21
Eastern Pennsylvania, Emmanuel Grove, Allentown ...................... June 18-28
New Jersey, Camden ........................ June 25 to July 5
Ohio ....................................... Aug. 13-23
Chesapeake ................................. Sept. 24 to Oct. 1
West Virginia, Parkersburg .................. Oct. 1-11
EASTERN CANADIAN UNION
Maritime, Moncton, New Brunswick ............ June 4-14
Quebec, South Stukely ....................... June 16-23
Ontario, Oshawa ............................ June 25 to July 5
LAKE UNION
North Michigan, Gladstone ................... June 5-14
East Michigan, Orion ........................ June 11-21
Wisconsin, Wausau .......................... June 18-28
NORTHERN UNION
Iowa, Des Moines ........................ May 28 to June 7
Minnesota, St. Paul ........................ June 4-14
South Dakota, Huron ........................ June 12-21
North Dakota, Jamestown ..................... June 22-28
NORTH PACIFIC UNION
Southern Idaho, Weiser .................. May 28 to June 7
Upper Columbia, Milton, Oregon .............. June 4-14
PACIFIC UNION
Western Oregon, Forest Grove ............. May 21-31
Nevada Mission, Reno ........................ June 1-7
Northern California, Sacramento ............. June 10-21
Montana, Helena ............................ June 11-21
California, Oakland ....................... June 23 to July 5
Southern California, near Los Angeles ....... Aug. 3-16
Western Washington, Auburn .................. Aug. 20-30
Utah ....................................... Aug. 23-30
Tennessee River, Jackson ................... July 10-20
Mississippi, Jackson ....................... July 23 to Aug. 2
Louisiana .................................. July 31 to Aug. 9
Alabama, Montgomery ........................ Aug. 7-17
Kentucky, Nicholasville .................... Aug. 20-30
SOUTHWESTERN UNION
South Texas, Houston ....................... July 23 to Aug. 3
WESTERN CANADIAN UNION
British Columbia, Coquitlam ................ June 2-7
British Columbia, Vernon ................... June 9-14
Alberta, Red Deer .......................... June 18-28
Saskatchewan, Regina ....................... June 25 to July 5
Manitoba, Morden ........................... July 2-12
The Maritime Conference
By M. M. HARE; LULU VAN BUSKIRK
THE twelfth annual session of the Maritime Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connection with the general meeting at Moncton, New Brunswick, June 4-14, 1914, for the election of officers for the ensuing year, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the conference. First session will be held at 10 A. M., Friday, June 5.
M. M. HARE, President;
LULU VAN BUSKIRK, Secretary.
West Pennsylvania Conference
By F. H. ROBBINS; H. K. HACKMAN
The thirteenth annual session of the West Pennsylvania Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will convene in connection with its camp meeting in Homestead Park, Homestead, Pa., June 11-21, 1914. The first meeting of the conference will be held Thursday,20June 11, at 9 A. M. In the session of this conference each church is entitled to one delegate without regard to numbers, and to one additional delegate for every ten members in the church. Every delegate should be present at the first meeting.
F. H. ROBBINS, President;
H. K. HACKMAN, Secretary.
Nebraska Conference Association
By J. W. CHRISTIAN; ANNA M. PETERSON
THE regular meeting of the Nebraska Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists (a legal corporation) will be held on the camp ground in Seward, Nebr., Monday, June 8, 1914, at 10 A. M., for the election of officers, and the transaction of any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
J. W. CHRISTIAN, President;
ANNA M. PETERSON, Secretary.
East Michigan Conference Association
By Wm. Guthrie; Daniel Wood
The annual meeting of the East Michigan Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists will be held on the Orion camp ground, Orion, Mich., in connection with the annual conference, June 11-21, 1914. The purpose of this meeting is to elect a board of trustees, and to transact such other business as may properly come before the association. The first meeting will be held Monday, June 15, 1914, at 10 A. M.
Wm. Guthrie, President;
Daniel Wood, Secretary.
California Conference Association
By E. W. FARNSWORTH; CLAUDE CONARD
The eighteenth annual meeting of the California Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connection with the forty-third session of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, at Oakland, Cal., June 23 to July 5, 1914, for the election of a board of seven trustees for the ensuing year, and the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting. The first meeting will be called at 3 P. M., Wednesday, June 24.
E. W. FARNSWORTH, President;
CLAUDE CONARD, Secretary.
Wisconsin Conference Association
By W. H. Thurston; W. J. Walter
THE annual session of the Wisconsin Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists (incorporated) will be held in Wausau, Wis., in connection with the camp meeting of the Wisconsin Conference, June 18-28, 1914. The first meeting will be held Monday, June 22, at 10:30 A. M. Officers and a board of trustees will be elected for the ensuing year, and such other business transacted as may properly come before the association. All accredited delegates to the Wisconsin Conference are delegates to the association.
W. H. Thurston, President;
W. J. Walter, Secretary.
Wisconsin Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association
By W. H. Thurston; P. L. Larson
THE annual session of the Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association of the State of Wisconsin (incorporated) will be held at Wausau, Wis., in connection with the camp meeting of the Wisconsin Conference, June 18-28, 1914. The first meeting of the session will be held on Monday, June 22, at 11 A. M. At this session officers and trustees will be elected, and such other business transacted as may properly come before this body. The accredited delegates to the Wisconsin Conference are delegates to this association.
W. H. THURSTON, President;
P. L. LARSON, Secretary.
Ontario Conference
By M. C. Kirkendall; C. D. Terwillegar
NOTICE is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the Ontario Conference of Seventh-day Adventists held on the Buena Vista Academy grounds at Oshawa, Ontario, in connection with the annual camp meeting, from June 25 to July 5, 1914. Officers will be elected for the ensuing year, and such other business transacted as may properly come before the conference at its annual session. The first meeting will convene Friday, June 26, at 10 A. M. All members in good and regular standing belonging to any Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ontario, who may be in attendance at these meetings, are delegates, and are therefore entitled to all the privileges belonging to such upon these occasions.
M. C. KIRKENDALL, President;
C. D. TERWILLEGAR, Secretary.
North Dakota Conference Association
By S. E. JACKSON; ANDREW ROEDEL
NOTICE is hereby given that a meeting of the North Dakota Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists will be held at Jamestown, N. Dak., in connection with the camp meeting, for the purpose of electing its trustees, of amending its constitution so as to provide for the changing of its headquarters from Fargo to Jamestown, N. Dak., and of transacting any other business necessary. The first meeting will be held at 10:30 A. M., Friday, June 26, 1914.
S. E. JACKSON, President;
ANDREW ROEDEL, Secretary.
Quebec Conference
By M. N. Campbell; Eva A. Rickard
NOTICE is hereby given that the annual session of the Quebec Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will be held at South Stukely, Quebec, June 16-23, for the election of officers, and the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the conference.
M. N. Campbell, Acting President;
Eva A. Rickard, Secretary.
Nebraska Sanitarium and Benevolent Association
By J. W. CHRISTIAN; I. F. BLUE
THE Nebraska Sanitarium and Benevolent Association will hold its annual meeting in connection with the Nebraska conference and camp meeting at Seward, Nebr. The first meeting is called for 10 A. M., Tuesday, June 9, 1914. At this time the election of members of the board, and such other business as is necessary, will be attended to.
J. W. CHRISTIAN, President;
I. F. BLUE, Secretary.
