IT is a fact to be deplored that Christians who profess much zeal for the cause of God will yet rest their faith on popular doctrines of which there exists not one particle of actual proof. And in nothing is this shown more than in the case of pretended history in favor of Sunday. There is a class of quotations which float through Sunday literature which passes for truth, and which we are asked to receive without questioning, and yet it cannot be verified, and the authors who quote it never attempt to verify it. Were they to make such an attempt they would soon expose their weakness, and the folly of their position. Dr. Benson is no exception to the rule. His first quotation is professedly from Ignatius, as follows:—
"‘Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, A. D. 101, only half a dozen years after the death of the apostle John, speaks familiarly of the Lord's day, and says: ‘Let us [Christians] no more Sabbatize [keep the Jewish holy day], but let us keep the Lord's day.’ ‘Let every one that loves Christ keep holy the Lord's day, the queen of days, the resurrection day, the highest of all days.’”
This is the whole of it. How shall the reader know that these are the words of Ignatius? Is there no proof on this point? There is an abundance, but it is all against the quotation! A portion of it is here given:—
"Two important facts relative to this quotation are worthy of particular notice: 1. That the epistles of Ignatius are acknowledged to be spurious by first-day writers of high authority; and those epistles which some of them except as possibly genuine, do not include in their number the epistle to the Magnesians from which the above quotation is made, nor do they say anything relative to first-day observance. 2. That the epistle to the Magnesians would say nothing of any day, were it not that the word day had been fraudulently inserted by the translator! In support of the first of these propositions the following testimony is adduced. Dr. Killen speaks as follows:—
“‘In the sixteenth century, fifteen letters were brought out from beneath the mantle of a hoary antiquity, and offered to the world as the productions of the pastor of Antioch. Scholars refused to receive them on the terms required, and forthwith eight of them were admitted to forgeries. In the seventeenth century, the seven remaining letters, in a somewhat altered form, again came forth from obscurity, and claimed to be the works of Ignatius. Again discerning critics refused to acknowledge their pretensions; but curiosity was roused by this second apparition, and many expressed an earnest desire to obtain a sight of the real epistles. Greece, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt, were ransacked in search of them, and at length three letters are found. The discovery creates general gratulation; it is confessed that four of the epistles so lately asserted to be genuine, are apocryphal; and it is boldly said that the three now forthcoming are above challenge. But truth still refuses to be compromised, and sternly disowns these claimants for her approbation. The internal evidence of these three epistles abundantly attests that, like the last three books of the Sibyl, they are only the last shifts of a grave imposture.’”
The same writer thus states the opinion of Calvin:—
“It is no mean proof of the sagacity of the great Calvin, that, upwards of three hundred years ago, he passed a sweeping sentence of condemnation on these Ignatian epistles.
“Three letters of Ignatius are still by some claimed to be genuine, but this quotation is not from either of them. Of the quotation itself the learned Dr. Kitto thus speaks:—
“‘We must here notice one other passage . . . as bearing on the subject of the Lord's day, though it certainly contains no mention of it. It occurs in the epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians (about A. D. 100.) The whole passage is confessedly obscure, and the text may be corrupt.
[We omit the quotation in Greek. It is not necessary to an understanding of his comment.]
“‘Now many commentators assume (on what ground does not appear), that after kuriakeen [Lord's] the word heemeran [day] is to be understood. . . . Let us now look at the passage simply as it stands. The defect of the sentence is the want of a substantive to which antou can refer. This defect, so far from being remedied, is rendered still more glaring by the introduction of heemera. Now if we take kuriakee zoee as simply ‘the life of the Lord,’ having a more personal meaning, it certainly goes nearer to supplying the substantive to antou. . . . Thus upon the whole the meaning might be given thus:—
“‘If those who lived under the old dispensation have come to the newness of hope, no longer keeping sabbaths, but living according to our Lord's life (in which, as it were, our life has risen again through him, etc.) . . . On this view the passage does not refer at all to the Lord's day; but even on the opposite supposition it cannot be regarded as affording any positive evidence to the early use of the term ‘Lord's day’ (for which it is often cited), since the material word heemera [day] is purely conjectural.
“The learned Morer, a clergyman of the church of England, confirms this statement of Kitto. He renders Ignatius thus:—
“‘If therefore they who were well versed in the works of ancient days came to newness of hope, not sabbatizing, but living according to the dominical life, etc. . . . The Medicean copy, the best and most like that of Eusebius, leaves no scruple, because zoeen is expressed and determines the word dominical to the person of Christ, and not to the day of his resurrection.’”
—Andrews' Hist. of the Sabbath.
This is the testimony of Sunday writers, and more might be given. But this is sufficient to prove two points, to wit:—
1. The letter from which the quotation is taken is spurious—a forgery.
2. The quotation itself contains no reference to the Lord's day. That is an interpolation.
Thus by two frauds Ignatius is made to testify in favor of Sunday!
His next witness is Theophilus, of whom he speaks as follows:—
"Theophilus, a bishop, who lived a little later, says: ‘Both custom and reason challenge from us that we should honor the Lord's day, seeing that on that day our Lord Jesus completed his resurrection from the dead.’”
This quotation is made from Dr. Edwards' Sabbath Manual. Neither Dr. Edwards, Dr. Benson, nor anybody else ever attempted to verify this pretended quotation. On this we give the following evidence:—
"Dr. Edwards does not pretend to give the place in Theophilus where these words are to be found. Having carefully and minutely examined every paragraph of the writings of Theophilus several times over, I state emphatically that nothing of the kind is to be found in that writer. He never uses the term Lord's day, and he does not even speak of the first day of the week. These words which are so well adapted to create the impression that the Sunday-Lord's day is of apostolic institution, are put into his mouth by the falsehood of some one."—Andrews' Hist. of the Sabbath, page 212.
If Dr. Benson, or any of his indorsers, doubt the correctness of this statement, they have only to cite us to the place in the writings of Theophilus where his pretended quotation may be found. Will they please to do it?
Next Justin Martyr is brought forward and made to testify as follows:—
Justin Martyr, who was contemporary to Polycarp, a disciple of St. John, says: "On the Lord's day all Christians, in the city or in the country, meet together, because that is the day of our Lord's resurrection, and then we read the writings of the apostles and prophets."
This quotation also contains a deliberate falsehood—not on the part of Dr. Benson, for he simply took it as he found it somewhere, but—on the part of the person who sent it out into the world in its present form.
Justin Martyr never called the first day of the week the Lord's day. Christians early held meetings on the sixth day, on account of the crucifixion, and on the first day, on account of the resurrection; but they gave no Sabbatic honor, no title of honor, to either day, except that already given to the first day by the Pagans. Hence Justin Martyr calls it Sunday, and the day of the sun, but never Lord's day.
Clement of Rome is quoted, but the quotation contains not a word or hint of that which is the subject of the proof. The Doctor admits that it is only inferred that he refers to the Sunday—it cannot be proved.
Irenæus is made to testify, as follows:—
"Irenæus, a pupil of Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John, says: ‘On the Lord's day every one of us Christians keeps the Sabbath, meditating in the law and rejoicing in the works of God.’”
Of this we have to say exactly as we said of the pretended quotation from Theophilus—it is purely a fiction, a "pious fraud," of which the literature of the Roman church has been so prolific, and in which, to their shame, many Protestants are quite ready to follow when Bible proof fails them. Sir William Domville, an able English writer, says of this very extract:—
"I have carefully searched through all the extant works of Irenæus and can with certainty state that no such passage, or any one at all resembling it, is there to be found. The edition I consulted was that by Massuet (Paris, 1710); but to assure myself still further, I have since looked to the editions by Erasmus (Paris, 1563), and Grabe (Oxford, 1702), and in neither do I find the passage in question."
We only add further that Irenæus in no place calls the first day of the week the Lord's day, nor is it even mentioned in any of his writings.
MY VACATION.
By Joseph Harvey Waggoner
It is well known to the readers of the SIGNS that I came to California to act as editor of this paper, and not as a minister. But my interest in the churches of Oakland and San Francisco caused me to keep up appointments in these cities during the entire period of my labors here. It is also known to my friends that this climate is not suited to my constitution, and that keeping up these appointments in addition to my other arduous duties was at the risk of my health, which has been greatly injured by this overtaxing of my strength.
When it was decided of late that my duty lay outside of the office, and in the preaching field, I felt assured that in my feeble condition, having been broken down last winter and not having taken time to establish my health, I could not endure the labor. But I have been accustomed to waive my convictions in deference to the judgment of others, and made an effort to comply with the decision. And that is why I am taking my vacation. Having had a season for reflection on the subject of vacations, I will give my idea to the readers.
First, A vacation is not pleasant. I can speak only from my own experience. Perhaps if I had the experience of those ministers who spend their vacations at the springs, or in the mountains, or in a trip to Europe, I might think differently. But mine is taken in one position of body, with the monotonous scenery of “four square walls.”
Secondly, I have never been favorably impressed with vacations. I think they are often taken when they should not be. However, had I taken one sooner mine need not be so irksome as it now is. But I believe that periodical vacations are more often a conformity to custom than an answer to the call of necessity. On this point I find the following in the Independent: “It is not good generalship to flee in the face of the enemy. It is not creditable to Protestantism that, as a morning paper of this city states, 56 churches are closed or will be closed before the first of August. Ministers, of course, need rest, as other men do; but they need not all take it together. The Jewish and Catholic pastors do not. Their churches are never closed.”
Thirdly, I think even the necessity might be obviated in many cases, by a change in the habits of the ministers. If they would saw their own wood, or take other useful or healthful exercise, and live on plain, digestible food, their labors which are seldom severe, would not break them down. Ministers ought to be reformers in everything, and especially in Christian temperance. They ought to set themselves against the pernicious habit of their kind-hearted house-keeping friends of “getting something good for the minister,” which means to tempt his appetite with indigestible, dyspepsia-breeding compounds. They ought to lift up their voices like trumpets against church festivals and suppers, and every health-destroying practice of late eating under the silly and wicked pretense of raising money for the support of the gospel.
Fourthly, It is in my mind to suggest an entire change of practice in the matter of vacations. There are other classes who ought to vacate a while, and let the ministers keep to their work. I wish to move that bar-tenders and saloon-keepers now take vacations. My reasons are everyway good, as follows:—
1. They are the most badly over-worked people in the community. Seven days in the week, both day and night, they are compelled to serve their customers, in a never ceasing round. Ministers fail in merely threatening perdition to the impenitent, but these deal356out damnation itself in a liquid form. Who does not pity them?
2. They can be better spared than the ministers. Even Ingersoll himself, who seems to have an instinctive hatred of ministers, would have to confess that these are a lesser evil in community than saloon-keepers! People do not need liquid fire in their throats in July and August. But there are many sick and dying ones in these months to whom a visit from a minister would be a boon. Let us change the order, by all means.
3. I call upon the Working Mens’ Clubs and Committees to attend to the wants of this much-abused class of our citizens. Bakers and barbers are protected from over-working. There is a remedy at law for almost anybody else. Who ever heard Kearney plead that liquor-dealers should sell whiskey and brandy only eight hours a day. But perhaps they work so continuously from choice. Their master has a great deal to be done, and they are zealous to do his will. But why should they be so much more zealous than the ministers? Is their work more urgent? Does their master offer better pay? I would like to hear on this subject from a committee of ministers who are taking their vacation. “It is too painful for me.” I must rest, and so may my amanuensis. J. H. WAGGONER.
OUR PRESENT DUTY.
By Isaac D. Van Horn
The North Pacific Conference has been divided, and, as far as I have been able to learn, there is a general feeling of satisfaction concerning the division, both east and west of the mountains, by all parties concerned. This division narrows up the territory of the N. P. Conference to that portion of Oregon and Washington Territory lying west of the Cascade range. The number of Sabbath-keepers in this Conference now is not quite half of what it was before. Therefore the burdens connected with the progress of the cause will fall upon us for a little while with greater weight than formerly. I say for a little while, for if all take hold earnestly we shall realize the blessing of God to that degree that many friends will be raised up to help us lift these burdens.
But we must not wait till friends are raised up before we begin to lift. There are a few things that demand our attention immediately, and I believe that I have only to mention them and our brethren and sisters will take right hold and do their duty.
1. The General Conference has rendered us much assistance by furnishing us with means to start the work here, and by granting help from those servants of the Lord that could and have given us the instruction we so much needed. Now we passed a resolution in the last session of the Conference to the effect that we appreciate all this help, and a vote of thanks was offered. Now brethren, you will agree with me that it will not do for our appreciation to pass off thus easily. We ought to, yea we must, do something more substantial. The work of the servants of God among us cost both time and money, and the General Conference is in debt. Now what shall we do? I want to tell you what we have started to do. We have set out to raise a free-will offering of one hundred dollars in this Conference by the first of January next. Pledge papers have already been placed in the hands of each of the three Directors, and they will soon, if they have not already, place one in the hands of each of the Librarians in their districts, and the members and friends will soon all have the privilege of putting down an offering to this worthy object. And I feel that this will be a step in the right direction, and the Lord will show his approval by pouring out a blessing on our Conference.
2. The PACIFIC PRESS at Oakland, Cal., is much in need of means. We should begin to feel that deep interest in that institution, which has been established by the direct providence of God, that will call forth our assistance in a substantial way. Every Seventh-day Adventist family, and every lonely Sabbath-keeper in the Conference, should take regularly one or more copies of the SIGNS, paying the full subscription price. In this way we can do much. But let no one be so small in their feeling as to seek the benefit of the paper at T. and M. rates. Let the T. and M. societies and V. M. societies in every church and company, take as many copies in clubs as possible; but let these be used in their own specific work.
If there are any in the Conference who have not taken stock in the PACIFIC PRESS and would esteem it a privilege to do so, let them take one or more shares ($10 per share), as they may feel able. Or if there are any who have money on hand and will loan it to the office without interest, they can help the cause in that way.
Now, brethren, let us all take hold and lift together. May we all work to the same end, and unitedly push the cause along until we shall see much fruit as the result.
I. D. VAN HORN.
MEETINGS AT VACAVILLE.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
WE met with the friends at this place last Sabbath and Sunday. Notwithstanding two of the members of this church run threshing machines, and employ many of the other brethren with them quite a distance from the place of meeting, yet a goodly number meet regularly each Sabbath. Those employed by Bro. Butcher, although at times many miles distant, usually are present at their Sabbath meetings. They have an interesting Sabbath-school, with an average attendance of between thirty and forty.
There was a better attendance at the meeting than we expected to see under the circumstances.
We enjoyed a degree of freedom in speaking, and nearly all took part in the social meetings. At a business meeting one name was dropped, and three added, to the church record. The brethren unanimously expressed a desire that Bro. Winfield Swayze should be appointed as the director, and Bro. Saunders as librarian instead of Bro. Barr, who is with his machine, and not able to attend meeting.
A Temperance Club was organized. Bro. Bolton was chosen leader, and Sister C. L. Meeker, secretary. Five signed the Teetotal Pledge, and became full members. Twenty-eight had previously signed, making thirty-three full teetotal members of the club. We see no reason why, with a little effort on the part of our friends in this place, as prosperous a club might not exist here as in any part of the State.
One young man who signed the pledge, previously used tobacco. To put forth an effort in behalf of the temperance cause and rescue the young men from the use of tobacco, or any other vile habit, is a missionary work which Heaven will smile upon, and which will secure the co-operation of the angels of God.
There is no branch of the cause of God which is unimportant, and the more devotion we possess in every branch of this work the more healthy will be our spiritual condition. Ephraim is described as a "cake unturned," cooked only on one side—a good Christian in some things, under favorable circumstances. But the true Christian is one who is ever true, whose influence is on the side of right wherever principle is involved.
S. N. HASKELL.
TEXAS CREEK, COLORADO.
By A. J. Stover
Eld. H. W. Decker held meetings here on Sabbath and first-day, May 22, 23, giving practical discourses. On Monday a meeting was held for the purpose of completing the organization which had been partly entered into the day before. Seventeen were baptized by Bro. Decker. Nine had previously signed the covenant, and at this meeting the number was doubled.
On the 3d of July we organized a T. and M. society of ten members, eight of whom paid their initiation fee. An H. and T. club was also organized, ten signing the teetotal pledge, and one that against rum and tobace. Others would have signed, but through some misunderstanding respecting the time of the meeting, they were not357present. The fact that this church is the work of the T. and M. society should encourage those who are laboring in this branch of the cause.
A. J. Stover.
The Missionary.
SOW WITH A BOUNTIFUL HAND.
One wept that his harvest was small,
With little of fruit or of grain;
While his neighbor, with barns running o er,
Still followed the full-freighted wain.
"How much didst thou sow," I said, "Friend?"
"A handful of wheat less or more."
"And didst thou expect broad acres would bend
To thy sickle from such scanty store?"
Who sparingly soweth must look
For little of fruit or of grain;
'Tis only the bountiful sower can reap
A bountiful harvest again.
A lesson, I said, to thee, Soul,
For harvest time soon will be here;
Sow with a bountiful hand lest thou weep at the last,
When the Lord of the harvest draws near.
AN ABUNDANT HARVEST.
By Stephen N. Haskell
THERE is no enterprise in which men can engage with more certainty of success than the missionary work. Such cases as the following are daily coming to light in different parts of the world, through the distribution of the SIGNS and other reading matter:—
About eighteen months since, the paper providentially fell into the hands of a man in Wood county, West Virginia. He became interested, and wrote to the SIGNS office for other publications. His address was placed in the San Francisco V. M. Society to be looked after. Elder M. C. Israel commenced to correspond, and furnished him reading matter. He loaned his papers and books to others, and obtained the addresses of others, which were forwarded to V. M. societies, and the same course pursued with them that was being pursued with him. Himself and others embraced the Sabbath. Quite an interest was worked up. He called, as is usual in such cases, for the living preacher. It resulted in Elder Sanborn's visiting them last fall and then again this summer, and a church of sixteen was raised up some six months since, while the interest has extended to other counties. This brother is now actively engaged in missionary work in Trumbull county, Ohio, where he reports quite an interest. The following is an extract from a letter he wrote to a V. M. society member, July 6:—
“I am doing what I can in the way of missionary work in this county. I have many interested readers, and I trust through God's blessing that a company will be raised up here who will keep his commandments and the faith of Jesus. I had a Disciple minister at my house all day some time ago. Now another one, a stranger to me, sends word that he is coming to visit me. I am informed by the one that brought me word that he says we are right on the immortality question. The Disciples in Wood county seem determined to fight as long as possible. They have had five preachers there to prove that the ten commandments were abolished, and still they are unsatisfied. The last one was Elder Rowe of Ohio. He is editor of the American Christian Review. He stayed with them nine days, did not touch the Sabbath question, charged them forty dollars, and went home. Some were bitterly disappointed.”
The full result of this stray SIGNS which fell into the hands of an honest-hearted man, the Judgment alone will reveal.
S. N. HASKELL.
THE CAUSE IN ENGLAND.
By John Norton Loughborough
We have now had eighteen discourses in the tent at Romsey. We are in the midst of our investigation of the immortality question. Good interest is manifest by those who attend, and the attendance is as good as could be expected in a country where the power of the legally established church is so strong. We have many friends here, and thus far they have contributed nearly enough to meet the running expenses of the tent-meeting.
Bro. Andrews has now spoken twice in the tent, with some difficulty, however. The irritation in his lungs causes him to stop and cough more or less during his discourse. He has also rendered us some help in the work at Southampton, where the congregations are gathered in the hall at Ravenswood, and can be addressed with less exertion than is required in the tent.
Since my last report two more have joined us at Southampton. These are to be baptized next Sabbath.
Bro. Judd, who acted as our tent master last year, has been doing considerable missionary work in connection with his business in Lancashire. One has already joined them in the observance of the Sabbath, so that they have commenced to hold Sabbath services in his house. He writes that others are about convinced of the truth, and he hopes soon more may join them.
We still receive many interesting letters from those to whom the papers are sent on trial. We also learn from stewards of steamers returning from the Indies (both East and West), the Cape of Good Hope, and other points, that our publications are received with the greatest eagerness at all points.
We see no other way but to persevere in sowing the seed, as we have opportunity, praying and hoping that with the blessing of God, some of it may grow and produce an abundant harvest.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Temperance.
By James W. Gardner
OAKLAND H. AND T. CLUB.
According to appointment, a meeting of this club was held in the S. D. A. church, on Sunday evening, July 25, 1880. It having been announced that Mrs. E. G. White would speak, the house was well filled, many strangers being present.
Meeting opened by singing the song entitled “Work.” Prayer by Eld. S. N. Haskell. Secretary’s report was followed by a song from the new temperance song book, entitled, “Sleeping on Guard.” Report of solicitors called for, at which time Eld. Haskell, by request, made some pertinent remarks regarding the necessity of constant work being done both by solicitors and other members, and by way of encouragement to do this referred to some remarkable results which had attended such efforts in other fields.
These remarks were followed by others to the point by the president, after which he introduced Mrs. E. G. White, who spoke to us in a manner calculated to arouse all to an appreciation of the subject of temperance in its broadest sense.
As usual, she introduced the subject of temperance from a Christian standpoint, reading from Daniel 1, and thereby showing how God had richly blessed Daniel and his companions for abstaining from the use of wine and other injurious things. How besides being ten times better in all matters of wisdom and understanding (Dan. 1:20) than their fellows, “they were fairer and fatter in flesh” than they all.
By indulging in that which is wrong we form habit, and habit becomes a law of nature. This law of nature demands that we have constantly that by which this law was created, and even this will not satisfy in the same quantity from day to day; a constant increase is demanded, thus leading on and on, until physical, mental, and moral powers are debased, and true, God-given manhood subverted and lost. We see the terrible results of Adam’s indulgence of appetite, which has entailed such misery and suffering on the whole human race; it was this excessive eating and drinking, which existed at the time of the deluge, that sunk the world which then was into oblivion, and it is foretold in Scripture that as it was in the time of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man—eating, drinking, etc., or indulging in a wrongful manner perverted appetite. Satan first assailed the race on the point of appetite, and so occasioned their fall; and now as he sees the end of his sway approaching, he is putting forth the most powerful efforts and assails our appetites in every conceivable manner, in hope of dragging us to perdition.
Liquor is by no means the only thing from which to abstain, tobacco is nearly as bad—worse in some respects. Every Christian should take Christ as a pattern and follow him, and can we imagine Christ with a pipe or a quid of tobacco in his mouth? Stop a moment and think of it!—our lovely Saviour, from whose pure lips proceeded those words of love and comfort, using tobacco! No, we shrink from the thought. Let us then follow in his footsteps and fling away the vile weed. The use of tobacco leads to the use of liquor; and spices, tea, and coffee to tobacco. Little by little the appetite is increased, growing stronger and stronger, until it is beyond control. If tobacco is necessary to man, why is it not to woman? If it gives him comfort and innocent diversion, will it not her? Where is the distinction?
Christ, the representative of the human race, left the royal throne and came to earth, and here commenced to reclaim the race by being subjected to the test of appetite, just where Adam fell. For forty long days and nights he resisted temptation and abstained from food. Pale and emaciated he came from the single-handed contest a victor. Either Satan or Christ has the control of appetite, and if Christ has this control, he will supply grace and strength sufficient to give us the victory.
The mother should teach the child in its tender years to overcome appetite, so that when older it may have the moral power to resist temptation. Parents transmit the depraved appetite and vitiated blood in an exaggerated degree to their offspring. Shall parents have to look on the premature graves of their little ones, who have inherited of them weak physical and moral powers, and say, “We have killed them”? or may the children look on their parents’ graves and say, “They saved us”?
Many give too much of their time to dress, which ought to be given to their children. How are we to save the youth of to-day? It is to point them to Jesus. Never did we see the value of old-fashioned mothers as to-day—mothers who will bring up their children in the fear of the Lord, and with moral strength sufficient to control appetite. God gave the youth in Daniel’s time strength to overcome, and blessed them in the effort. He will do the same to-day. God has bought us with the price of blood. Christ battled forty days and nights alone with appetite, and after a life of sorrow and pain suffered an agonizing death on the cross for us. Will we do nothing for ourselves?
Here is the time and place to remove all defilements of character. When we leave this world, we take with us the characters we have here formed. Professed Christians, if you would save the money you spend in tobacco and that which is harmful and place it in the church treasury, you would not be obliged to get up church fairs and festivals, and thereby appeal to the appetite, in order to get money to keep up your churches. Now throw yourself unreservedly on Jesus, and he who has died for you will give you strength sufficient unto victory. Those who have striven the hardest for mastery will be those nearest the throne, where they may, after the strife of life is done, and the crown of victory won, swell the joyous song which will resound throughout eternity.
After closing her lecture, Mrs. White appealed to all who had not already done so to sign the pledge. After singing, the pledges were circulated, Eld. Haskell speaking in the meantime on the subject before us. Another song was then sung, and the audience dismissed with benediction, a deep feeling being observed on those present and much interest manifested. May God bless the efforts of our club to the salvation of many souls in the kingdom of Heaven.
JAMES W. GARDNER, Secretary.
JERRY'S RUN, WEST VIRGINIA.
By I. Sanborn
I SPENT one week in Reedsville, Meigs Co., Ohio. Here I found six keeping the Sabbath, and held nine meetings with them and their neighbors. Three were baptized. I advised them to pay their tithes, and to join the tract society as soon as possible. They seem very firm in the truth as far as they understand it.
Last Sabbath, at Jerry's Run, four were baptized, and the ordinances were administered. I continue my meetings here till after next Sabbath and first-day, and if the Lord will, I shall go to Roane county on the 26th, as there seems to be a good opening in that new field, created by reading the Signs sent there by V. M. workers. We hope more will obey the Lord before our meetings close here. Pray for the work in this section.
I. SANBORN.
MARYSTOWN, TEXAS.
By R. M. Kilgore
Our work here is progressing slowly amid a most bitter and stubborn opposition. Eleven have already commenced to keep the Sabbath, and others are convicted. Our arbor meeting begins here with the day of humiliation and prayer appointed by the General Conference. May God help us in our efforts to humble our hearts and draw near to him.
R. M. KILGORE.
LITCHFIELD, OHIO.
By R. A. Underwood; J. C. Bartlett
Last Sabbath was a good day with us at the tent. Several brethren and sisters came from Wakeman and Troy, which added much to the interest of our meeting. Eight more expressed a decision to obey the truth, making fourteen who are now keeping the Sabbath here, and we hope for others. Pray for the work in this place.
July 19. R. A. UNDERWOOD. J. C. BARTLETT.
BALLARDS FALLS, KANSAS.
By Joseph Lamont; L. D. Santee
Our meetings in this place are progressing. We have canvassed the Sabbath question quite thoroughly, and six more have accepted the truth on this point. A number are investigating and deciding, so that we confidently expect others to unite with us. Four were baptized last Sunday.
JOSEPH LAMONT.
L. D. SANTEE.
The Duty of Church-Going
Few people—even among those who have had a Christian training in youth—have any conception that church-going is in any sense a duty. If they can enjoy the service they go, otherwise they stay at home. They decide the whole question, about as they decide whether they will go to a concert or a lecture. As to their owing any duty to themselves or to God in the matter, that idea seems never so much as to occur to them. Somebody must be responsible for this lack of conviction. Is there enough teaching in the family and from the pulpit of the duty of church-going? Do not even Christian people regard it as an optional thing, to be done or not as the whim siezes them? The empty pews of the churches give an eloquent answer to these questions.
The Church and Its Children
A church without children in its pews, at its services, and at the Lord's table, is practically a contradiction of terms. The best, strongest, most growing and most useful churches are those which are constantly nurturing children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord, receiving them into their fellowship, and training them up as good Christians to pious living and holy activity. In this process the public worship of God has its essential functions. No church can prosper which neglects its children and youth.
Four Good Habits
THERE are four good habits we should strive to acquire, viz.: punctuality, accuracy, steadiness, and dispatch. Without the first, time is wasted; without the second, mistakes, the most hurtful to our own credit and interest and that of others, may be committed; without the third, nothing can be done well; and without the fourth, opportunities of advantage are lost, which it is impossible to recall.
Signs of Drinking
It's a good sign to see a man wiping the perspiration from his face. It's a bad sign to see a man wiping his lips as he comes out of a gin-mill.
A Child Killed by Intoxication
By Editor
A boy eleven years of age died from intoxication in New York on May 26th. He was employed in an office on Washington Street, and drank a quantity of whiskey given him by a man in the office. He became completely inebriated, and in his stupor fell from a window into a paved yard. It is satisfactory to learn that the coroner ordered the arrest of the man who gave the boy the spirits which caused his death. It is to be feared that there are also many persons having the control of children who are contributing to their moral and physical death by giving them small quantities of intoxicating liquor. Children acquire very easily an appetite for strong drink, and those who encourage such a propensity incur an appalling responsibility.
Methodist Ministers and Tobacco
By S. S. Times
If the use of tobacco is a good and desirable thing, ministers would do well to chew or smoke as a godly example to their people. If it is undesirable, ministers would do well to be free from it. Evidently the recently held Methodist General Conference inclines to the latter opinion; for by a vote of two to one it adopted as a new question to be asked of all candidates for the ministry, "Will you wholly refrain from the use of tobacco?" And now the question is, Has the Methodist church raised or lowered its standard by this added restriction of the freedom of its intending ministers? Sure it is that an incoming Methodist clergyman will now be less likely than before to prove a stench in the nostrils of his invalid or delicate-nerved parishioners. The suggestion of one of our contemporaries, that, if the use of tobacco "may be left to the judgment of the older men, there is no consistent rule but to leave it also to that of the younger," has no force, unless it means that it is never right to change the standard of admission to any organization or official position, by an added requirement in the sphere of bodily, mental, or moral qualifications, without insisting that those persons who are already inside shall conform to the newly prescribed standard. The Methodist Conference did not say that it was a sin for a preacher to befoul himself with tobacco, but it did hold that there were already quite enough preachers of that order in its denomination.—S. S. Times.