Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 5, 1883
General Articles.
By Ellen G. White
Christ's Triumph for Us.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
AT the birth of Christ, Satan saw the plains of Bethlehem illuminated with the brilliant glory of a multitude of heavenly angels. He heard their song, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men." The prince of darkness saw the amazed shepherds filled with fear as they beheld the illuminated plains. They trembled before the exhibitions of bewildering glory which seemed to entrance their senses. The rebel chief himself trembled at the proclamation of the angel to the shepherds, "Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." He had met with good success in devising a plan to ruin men, and he had become bold and powerful. He had controlled the minds and bodies of men from Adam down to the first appearing of Christ. But now Satan was troubled and alarmed for his kingdom and his life.
The song of the heavenly messengers proclaiming the advent of the Saviour to a fallen world, and the joy expressed at this great event, Satan knew boded no good to himself. Dark forebodings were awakened in his mind as to the influence this advent to the world would have upon his kingdom. He queried if this was not the coming One who would contest his power and overthrow his kingdom. He looked upon Christ from his birth as his rival. He stirred the envy and jealousy of Herod to destroy Christ by insinuating to him that his power and his kingdom were to be given to this new king. Satan imbued Herod with the very feelings and fears that disturbed his own mind. He inspired the corrupt mind of Herod to slay all the children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under, which plan he thought would succeed in ridding the earth of the infant king.
But against his plans, Satan sees a higher power at work. Angels of God protected the life of the infant Redeemer. Joseph was warned in a dream to flee into Egypt, that in a heathen land he might find an asylum for the world's Redeemer. Satan followed him from infancy to childhood, and from childhood to manhood, inventing means and ways to allure him from his allegiance to God, and overcome him with his subtle temptations. The unsullied purity of the childhood, youth, and manhood, of Christ which Satan could not taint, annoyed him exceedingly. All his darts and arrows of temptation fell harmless before the Son of God. And when he found that all his temptations prevailed nothing in moving Christ from the steadfast integrity, or in marring the spotless purity of the youthful Galilean, he was perplexed and enraged. He looked upon this youth as an enemy that he must dread and fear.
That there should be one who walked the earth with moral power to withstand all his temptations, who resisted all his attractive bribes to allure him to sin, and over whom he could obtain no advantage to separate from God, chafed and enraged his satanic majesty.
The childhood, youth, and manhood of John, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah to do a special work in preparing the way for the world's Redeemer, were marked with firmness and moral power. Satan could not move his integrity. When the voice of this prophet was heard in the wilderness, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight," Satan was afraid for his kingdom. He felt that the voice, sounding forth in trumpet tones in the wilderness, caused sinners under his control to tremble. He saw that his power over many was broken. The sinfulness of sin was revealed in such a manner that men became alarmed; and some, by repentance of their sins, found the favor of God, and gained moral power to resist his temptations.
He was on the ground at the time when Christ presented himself to John for baptism. He heard the majestic voice resounding through Heaven and echoing through the earth like peals of thunder. He saw the lightnings flash from the cloudless heavens, and heard the fearful words from Jehovah, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He saw the brightness of the Father's glory overshadowing the form of Jesus, thus pointing out in that crowd the One whom he acknowledged as his Son with unmistakable assurance. The circumstances connected with this baptismal scene had aroused the most intense hatred in the breast of Satan. He knew then for a certainty that unless he could overcome Christ, from thenceforth there would be a limitation of his power. He understood that the communication from the throne of God signified that Heaven was more directly accessible to man.
As Satan had led man to sin, he had hoped that God's abhorrence of sin would forever separate him from man, and break the connecting link between Heaven and earth. The opening heavens, in connection with the voice of God addressing his Son, was like a death-knell to Satan. He feared that God was now to unite man more fully to himself, and give power to overcome his devices. And for this purpose Christ had come from the royal courts to the earth. Satan was well acquainted with the position of honor Christ had held in Heaven as the Son of God, the beloved of the Father. And that he should leave Heaven, and come to this world as a man, filled him with apprehension for his safety. He could not comprehend the mystery of this great sacrifice for the benefit of fallen man. He knew that the value of Heaven far exceeded the anticipation and appreciation of fallen man. The most costly treasures of the world, he knew, would not compare with its worth. As he had lost through his rebellion all the riches and pure glories of Heaven, he was determined to be revenged by causing as many as he could to undervalue Heaven, and to place their affections upon earthly treasures.
It was incomprehensible to the selfish soul of Satan that there could exist benevolence and love for the deceived race so great as to induce the Prince of Heaven to leave his home and come to a world marred with sin and seared with the curse. He had knowledge of the inestimable value of eternal riches that man had not. He had experienced the pure contentment, the peace, exalted holiness, and unalloyed joys of the heavenly abode. He had realized, before his rebellion, the satisfaction of the full approval of God. He had once a full appreciation of the glory that enshrouded the Father, and knew that there was no limit to his power.
Satan knew what he had lost. He now feared that his empire over the world was to be contested, his right disputed, and his power broken. He knew, through prophecy, that a Saviour was predicted, and that his kingdom would not be established in earthly triumph and with worldly honor and display. He knew that ancient prophecies foretold a kingdom to be established by the Prince of Heaven upon the earth, which he claimed as his dominion. This kingdom would embrace all the kingdoms of the world, and then his power and his glory would cease, and he would receive his retribution for the sins he had introduced into the world, and for the misery he had brought upon man. He knew that everything which concerned his prosperity was pending upon his success or failure in overcoming Christ with his temptations in the wilderness. He brought to bear upon Christ every artifice and force of his powerful temptations to allure him from his allegiance.
It is impossible for man to know the strength of Satan's temptations to the Son of God. Every temptation that seems so afflicting to man in his daily life, so difficult to resist and overcome, was brought to bear upon the Son of God in as much greater degree as his excellence of character was superior to that of fallen man.
Christ was tempted in all points like as we are. As man's representative, he stood the closest test and proving of God. He met the strongest force of Satan. His most wily temptations Christ has tested and conquered in behalf of man. It is impossible for man to be tempted above what he is able to bear while he relies upon Jesus, the infinite Conqueror.
THE DAWN IS BRIGHTENING!
SAINTS of God! the dawn is brightening,
Token of our coming Lord!
O'er the earth the field is whitening;
Louder rings the Master's word,—
“Pray for reapers
In the harvest of the Lord.”
Feebly now they toil in sadness,
Weeping o'er the waste around,
Slowly gathering grains of gladness,
While their echoing cries resound,—
“Pray that reapers
In God's harvest may abound.”
Now, O Lord, fulfill thy pleasure,
Breathe upon thy chosen band,
And, with pentecostal measure,
Send forth reapers o'er our land—
Faithful reapers,
Gathering sheaves for thy right hand.
Soon shall end the time of weeping;
Soon the reaping time will come,
Heaven and earth together keeping
God's eternal harvest home!
Saints and angels
Shout the world's great harvest home!
—Selected.
REBUKED.
A few years ago, as a stranger rose in one of our city pulpits to begin the service, several of the congregation began to leave the church. He was a lame man, and the pulpit was located near the doors.
"Wait a moment, my friends," said the preacher, "till I get my hat, and I'll go with you."
Down he came, limping, hat in hand, and left the church. This abrupt closing of the services taught the people that there was at least one minister who would not be treated with contempt. On a certain occasion, the eloquent Dr. E. H. Chapin, being sick, was compelled to ask a friend to preach for him. As the stranger rose to announce the opening hymn, a score of persons rose to go out. This clergyman also was equal to such an emergency.
"All," he said, "who came here to worship Dr. Chapin will please leave now; but those who came to worship God will sing the forty-third hymn."
That stopped the exodus.
The End of Good Education
The great end of a good education is to form a reasonable man.
Honesty and Affectation
The more honesty a man has the less he affects the air of a saint.
Why Not Found Out Before?
When we have clearly proved from the Bible that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and should be kept, Sunday-keepers say, "If this is so, why was it not found out before?" And because pious and learned men have lived and died without keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, they claim that it cannot be right. The fallacy of this argument may be readily shown.
First, such reasoners judge the Bible by the opinions and actions of poor, fallible man. Instead of reading the Bible to learn what men ought to do, they inquire what men have done, to learn what the Bible should mean.
Secondly, this objection has always been urged against every reformation in religion. On this principle, we must never learn anything which our fathers did not know.
God's truth is always progressive—new truths being brought out and old truths revived in different ages, as circumstances may require. To each generation God gives additional light, some truth that he has not given before. In many cases the people are brought back to doctrines which have been lost sight of for generations. So of the Sabbath. In the providence of God, the time has now come when light is being given, and a reformation is being wrought upon this subject.
It was foretold in prophecy that the papacy would change God's Sabbath, and enforce that change for 1260 years. This is the reason it was not found out before. In Dan. 7 we have the prophecy of the four kingdoms. It is universally agreed that the last of these represents Rome, and that the blasphemous horn is a symbol of the papacy. Verse 25 says, "He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." How exactly have the popes fulfilled this prophecy! They have blasphemed God and slain his saints. But this power was also to think to change times and laws. Whose laws and times? Those of the Most High; for it is against God that the beast makes war. Human laws are constantly changing, so it would be nothing remarkable that these should be changed. But that a man should think to change the law and times of God would be remarkable. Beyond doubt, then, the prophecy refers to God's law and God's holy time.
Is there any precept in that law relating to time? Just one, and only one—the Sabbath command. The other commandments say nothing about time, while this relates to nothing else. Time is inseparably connected with this commandment, so that to change the commandment would be to change the time. The prophecy said the pope should think to change God's laws and times. But God's law relates to no time except the weekly Sabbath. Hence we have here the most explicit prediction that the papacy was to change the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
Has the pope changed the Sabbath? Yes, emphatically; the proof is abundant. 1. The law plainly says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath." Ex. 20:8-11. 2. The New Testament is entirely silent about any change of the Sabbath by Christ or the apostles. 3. But since the rise of the papacy, we find that some one has changed the Sabbath; for the Catholics and most Protestants now keep the first day, instead of the seventh day which the law requires. 4. History shows that the pope did make this change of the Sabbath. See "History of the Sabbath," by Andrews. 5. The Catholics confess that they did it. Listen to the following from a Catholic catechism:—
"Ques. Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?
"Ans. Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her,—she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."—Doctrinal Catechism, p. 101.
"Ques. How prove you that the church hath power to institute feasts and holy days?
"Ans. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of."—Abridgment of Christian Doctrine.
How could evidence be any clearer? The pope, then, did change the Sabbath, according to the prophecy.
Now the prophecies just as clearly predict that this breach in the law of God will be repaired and the Sabbath restored in the last days. Thus in Dan. 7:25, before quoted, after stating that the papacy would persecute the saints, and change times and laws, the prophet says, "And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." This period is just 1260 years. See any commentary. God's laws and times are to be given into his hand until this specified time. This is equivalent to saying that they will be taken out of his hand at the expiration of that time. So even here the restoration of the Sabbath at the end of the 1260 years is strongly implied.
In Rev. 12:14 is a prediction of the same period, during which the dragon persecutes the woman, the church, as stated in Daniel. When the time is expired, we find a remnant people keeping all the commandments of God. Thus, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Verse 17. This is after the close of the 1260 years, the period after which the law and Sabbath were to be taken out of the pope's hand, according to Dan. 7:25. What do we find here? 1. A persecuted people. 2. The remnant of the church,—the last church, or those living at the time of the second advent. This, then, brings us to the last days. 3. The special peculiarity of this people is that they keep the commandments of God. This certainly indicates that all these commandments had not been kept before this time, but that here a people will be raised up who will keep them. Notice that this observance of the commandments brings upon them hatred and persecution. This plainly shows that they are keeping some one of these commandments that is not generally kept; for people are not persecuted for doing what everybody else is doing. But those that keep the Sabbath are persecuted, as the prophecy foretells.
Now let us consider the law of God. Except the Sabbath commandment, people are agreed in keeping all of the ten commandments. But let a man step out to keep the Sabbath commandment just as it reads,—"The seventh day is the Sabbath," and he immediately becomes peculiar, and brings upon himself hatred and persecution, as we see wherever the Sabbath question is agitated. This is just what the prophecy foretold; and it is this day fulfilled before our eyes in the Sabbath reform.
Another striking prediction of this reformation concerning the law of God is found in Rev. 14:9-12. It is here stated that just preceding the second advent of Christ, to reap the harvest of the earth, verses 14-16, a message will be given, to bring out and prepare a people for that event. Of those thus brought out it says, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12. "Here are they." Where? Just before Christ is seen coming in the clouds. Verse 14. The time, then, is the same as that of the remnant of Rev. 12:17, above considered. What is the peculiarity of this people? They keep the commandments of God. This, again, is just what was said of the remnant in chap. 12:17. In the mind of God this must be an important fact, since it is repeated twice in so close connection. The expression, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God," implies that the custom of keeping the commandments of God is quite unusual at this time.
Then in the last days there will be a reformation in some way touching the commandments. It must be upon the Sabbath; for all are agreed upon the other nine. But through the influence of the papacy the Sabbath commandment has been ignorantly broken till of late. Now, however, just at the time mentioned in the third angel's message, Rev. 14:9-12, thousands are turning to keep the Sabbath. The movement is wide-spread and rapidly increasing. It embraces many countries and languages. The prophecy has become fact. Take heed how you reject it. Here, again, we have the reason why this truth was not found out before,—it was reserved to be the last testing message to the world.
In the book of Ezekiel is another prophecy of the restoration of the Sabbath in the last days. First, the prophet speaks of false teachers as neglecting to do God's work due in the last days. Chap. 13:4-11. He says that certain "gaps" were to be built up, verse 5; but they refuse to build. These gaps were to be made up, that the people of God might "stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Verse 5. All the Scriptures locate "the day of the Lord" at the second advent, when "the battle of that great day of God Almighty" is to transpire. Rev. 16:14. At that time the wrath of God will be poured out in the seven last plagues, Rev. 16, the last of which will be great hailstones from heaven. Verse 21. God's saints need a special preparation to stand then. Ezekiel refers to this and to the great hailstones which will fall, and says these "gaps" must be made up, that the people of God may stand at that time, but that these false teachers will not do it. They see "vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith; and the Lord hath not sent them." Verse 6. Also they cried, "Peace, and there was no peace." Verse 10. In 1 Thess. 5:1-4, Paul locates this peace-and-safety cry just before the second advent.
All these points show the time of which Ezekiel speaks. He says, "One built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar." Verse 10. In Eze. 22, where the same subject is again brought up, we find that the gap is the breach made in the law of God by breaking down the Sabbath commandment. Read verses 25 to 30, and you will see that the same teachers are referred to, the "daubing with untempered mortar," the "seeing vanity and divining lies unto them, saying Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken." He sought for a man to make up the hedge and "stand in the gap," and found none.
In verse 26 he throws aside the figure, and plainly says it is the law of God and the Sabbath which they are violating. "Her priests have violated my law." Even the priests are breaking the law of God. Which precept? "And have profaned mine holy things [his holy Sabbath]; they have put no difference between the holy and profane [between the Sabbath and the secular, working days]; neither have they showed difference between the unclean, and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths." This is the trouble. They are violating God's law by hiding their eyes from the Sabbath, and refusing to prepare a people for the day of the Lord by building up that gap.
In Isa. 58 the same work of building up "the gap" and repairing "the breach" by restoring the Sabbath, is foretold. The Lord first commands to cry aloud and show his people their sins. Verse 1. Among other things he says that they who do so "shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in." Verse 12. Some important reformation is here spoken of. Something that has been neglected for ages must now be restored. Those who do this work will repair "the breach;" the same as in Ezekiel. It is the Sabbath, as the very next verse, in which the conditions are stated, shows. "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath." God's Sabbath is being trampled in the dust. Men have their feet upon it. They have had them there for "many generations." Now if they will take them off, they will be called the repairers of the breach.
This prophecy shows that after the Sabbath has been neglected and trodden under foot for "many generations," there will be a reformation upon that point, and the holy Sabbath will again be honored. This is just the work which Seventh-day Adventists are now doing. Will you have a part in it?
Isa. 56 also predicts the restoration of the Sabbath in the last days. In verse 1 the Lord says, "My salvation is near to come." This must be a short time before the coming of Christ. Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 1:5. At that time "blessed is the man . . . . . that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it." Isa. 56:2. You cannot lay hold of what you are already holding. But here a blessing is pronounced on all who will lay hold on the Sabbath and keep it at that time.
All the prophets, then, have foretold that in the last days there will be a work of reformation concerning the law of God and his holy Sabbath. The time has come, and the work has commenced. Reader do not reject the law of God: do not hide your eyes from his holy Sabbath.
A Danger Foreseen
A DANGER foreseen is half avoided.
The Mystery of Gravitation and of God.
By Editor
THE most incomprehensible things are accepted as facts, and on them science is built. Gravitation is believed in by the most skeptical people. There are people who talk about it as though they could see, handle, and taste it. But that is not the way a true scientist talks. In a recent lecture Prof. C. A. Young, of Princeton College, used the following language: "Do not understand me at all as saying that there is no mystery about the planets' motions. There is just the one single mystery—gravitation—and it is a very profound one. How it is that an atom of matter can attract another atom, no matter how great the distance, no matter what intervening substance there may be; how it will act upon it, or at least behave as if it acted upon it, I do not know; I cannot tell. Whether they are pushed together by means of an intervening ether, or what is the action, I cannot understand. It stands with me along with the fact that when I will that my arm shall rise it rises. It is inscrutable. All the explanations that have been given of it seem to me merely to darken counsel with words and no understanding. They do not remove the difficulty at all. If I were to say what I really believe, it would be that the motions of the spheres of the material universe stand in some such relation to Him in whom all things exist, the ever-present and omnipotent God, as the motions of my body do to my will—I do not know how, and never expect to know."
We dare say there will be wiseacres to sneer at the Professor for introducing the name of God into an astronomical lecture, on the ground that God is incomprehensible. But why, then, should incomprehensible gravitation be in the lecture?—N. Y. Christian Advocate.
The World's Law Book.
By B. W. I.
IN the general exercises of a village Sunday-school recently, the superintendent read the ten commandments as given on Mount Sinai. The binding of the large Bible used on the occasion was unusual and peculiar. It was that of ordinary law books—smooth sheepskin, with red upper title and dark lower title. This was a trivial matter, but it was suggestive.
The Bible is a book of laws; God's law to the world, every word of it—statements, warnings, threatenings, entreaties, invitations, promises, offers of pardon, mercy, and full salvation. But are not the invitations and proffers of mercy matters of choice to men? Yes; but God commands men to choose them. The Bible "is a book where more is understood than expressed."
The intimation of a wish by the parent is law to a loving and obedient child. So God's will, though made known in the mildest whisper of a suggestion, is law. Disobedience is at the soul's peril. Having disobeyed, salvation is purely of sovereign grace. And this grace men are commanded to seek and accept. Men convicted of sin, and realizing their peril because of their sins, seek deliverance. They seek it, however, in their own way and by methods of their own. God commands them to seek it in his way. They that thus seek, find. This is God's law of grace. Instances have been known among men where criminals have refused the pardon granted, and insisted upon remaining in prison. They have been ejected from the prison and liberty forced upon them. God never forces pardon and salvation on any one. They must accept it or perish.
The divine law is letter and spirit. Acceptable obedience is not that of the letter merely; nor merely of what men may conceive to be the spirit of the law; but the obedience of both letter and spirit as the one interprets the other, an interpretation which sacrifices neither. God's law is obeyed in the spirit of it when with the heart we submit to the letter. A disposition, or a determination, to evade God's law is manifest disobedience. The character of the action is colored by the disposition and desire of the heart. With God, this disposition and intent of the heart is everything. Men evade human laws. No man can successfully evade the divine law. God's "commandments are exceeding broad."
Sophistry and falsehood, when God's law interferes with our wishes and plans, are natural to the human heart. A child being asked if in doing a certain thing he had not broken one of God's commandments, said "he didn't know, but he guessed he had cracked it." Another child, being told that it was wrong to drive horses on Sunday except in such a case as of a physician called to visit the sick, said, "Play this is a doctor's horse," and snapped his whip at his imaginary steed. These were children, but how like men they reasoned. At a church fair, a member desiring to raise some money on the cake which was intended as a gift to the pastor, proposed that chances be sold, and the drawing be so arranged that the prize should come to the pastor.
The late William H. Seward once stirred our nation by asserting the doctrine of a "Higher Law" than man's will. God's law is the highest law in the universe. From it there is no appeal. Nor shall one jot or tittle fail of its full accomplishment. Our law-makers, our various executives, as well as the sovereign people, who are too often law-breakers; should understand this. Chief-Justice Hornblower declared the Bible to be "the standard of righteousness." Daniel Webster, the great expounder of constitutional law, said, "It is the book of all others for lawyers as well as divines."
However God's word may be bound, every one should remember that it is God's law to men, and by it men will be judged in the last great day.—B. W. I., in N. Y. Examiner.
For Rest Simply.
A SHORT time ago an Adventist preacher made some inquiries of the Independent concerning the Sunday Law question, and received a reply, of which the following is a portion:—
“We can only repeat that it is a great disadvantage to be in the minority. People there may be right; but they must suffer and submit. With the Seventh-day people it is a matter of religion and conscience. They must rest Saturday, and may, generally should, work Sunday; but the State has no quarrel with their conscience and religion, and no favor for the religion of the other citizens. All the State wants is that the citizens shall have one day in seven for rest; not for religion. Which day it shall be the majority must decide; but the law should be very considerate of those whose conscience requires another day. They should be allowed to work Sunday if they do not disturb the rest of the majority. If they insist on so working as to interfere with the rest-day of the majority, they must either move or be moved away. We are sorry, but there is no help for it.”
The Sabbath Recorder, after reading the Independent’s reply, takes that paper to task in the following forcible manner:—
“Now we should like to ask the Independent a question or two: If the Sunday of the State is for rest simply, having no regard for the conscience of the minority, and no favors for the religious opinions or preferences of the majority, then why is it needed at all? Does the fact that a few persons, more or less, choose to pursue their regular avocations on any given day prevent all the world besides from resting on that day if they choose to do so? It is probable that a majority of the business men, especially in our large cities, suspend business on our national holidays, as Washington’s birthday, Thanksgiving, etc., and so make it a rest-day. Do they rest any less on those days because, forsooth, the railroads run their regular trains, and a few men keep open stores, shops, or mills? On public holidays many people prefer to go on excursions, with extra railroad trains, banners, and bands of music. Does that prevent those who prefer to do so from staying quietly at home and resting? How, then, if Sunday is simply for rest, can the ordinary labor of a few persons on that day be any serious interference with the resting privileges of the majority? Some men have found it necessary to take a day or a week or a month from business for rest, and they get it, and with it returning health and vigor, although the great majority of mankind have kept the very air full of the hum and clatter of business. If a few men can rest effectually with business going on all about them, ought not the majority—the great majority—to be able to rest without invoking the aid of the State, even though a few people, here and there—a very few—choose to go quietly about their regular business, never very noisy? We have noticed that when for any reason people have chosen to do so, they have been able to rest, irrespective of the activities of business or pleasure-seeking on the part of other people, on every day of the week, except Sunday. But when Sunday comes, and the majority of the people have suspended business, if a few persons conscientiously go about their legitimate work, forthwith a great cry is raised, ‘These few people are so disturbing the rest of the people, they must quit, move or be moved.’ Is it not the baldest nonsense to plead for the Sunday law on any such ground? If the Christian people of this land did not want to preserve the traditional sanctity of Sunday as a day of religious worship; if they were not conscious that such sanctity cannot be maintained by any authority from the word of God; if, in a word, the religious element were taken out of this question, it would cease to have an advocate.”
A Man Tries Tight Lacing.
RICHARD A. PROCTOR, the well-known lecturer on astronomy, once tried the experiment of wearing a corset and thus describes the result: "When the subject of corset-wearing was under discussion in the pages of the English Mechanic, I was struck with the apparent weight of evidence in favor of tight lacing. I was, in particular, struck by the evidence of some as to its use in reducing corpulence. I was corpulent. I was also disposed, as I am still, to take an interest in scientific experiment. I thought I would give this matter a fair trial. I read all the instructions, carefully followed them and varied the time of applying pressure with that 'perfectly stiff busk' about which correspondents were so enthusiastic. I was foolish enough to try the thing for a matter of four weeks. Then I laughed at myself as a hopeless idiot and determined to give up the attempt to reduce by artificial means that superabundance of fat on which only starvation and much exercise, or the air of America, has ever had any real reducing influence. But I was reckoning without my host. As the Chinese lady suffers, I am told, when her feet-bindings are taken off, and as the flat-headed baby howls when his head-boards are removed, so for a while was it with me. I found myself manifestly better in stays. I laughed at myself no longer. I was too angry with myself to laugh. I would as soon have condemned myself to using crutches all the time as to wearing always a busk. But for one month of folly I had to endure three months of discomfort. At the end of about that time I was my own man again."—Chicago Times.
Long Trains.
WHAT Emperor William thinks of the long trains of ladies' ball-dresses may be gleaned from a conversation he had at the recent court ball with the young and charming wife of a foreign military attache, who appeared with one of those long trains prescribed by the etiquette of her own country, and also worn at Berlin by the non-dancing ladies of riper "youth." The Emperor, noticing that the aforesaid young lady had not joined the dancers, inquired, in his most affable way, the reason why, and received the frank reply: "For the simple reason, your Majesty, that nobody asked me to dance."
"Then let me tell you," said the Emperor, with a smiling glance at her enormous train, "that my officers are evidently afraid of playing sad havoc with your lovely dress;" jestingly adding: "If I had had the slightest power in matters of fashion, I should never have tolerated those cumbersome trains at balls. Unfortunately, I have been utterly powerless in this respect thus far, but I sincerely rejoice at the prospect of Dame Fashion speedily and sympathetically coming round to my views once more."
Make Your Sermon Plain
THE first thing is to make your sermon plain. Mr. Bloomfield preached on the text "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" Wishing to find out how it pleased his people, he called a poor foolish man to the pulpit and asked him how he liked the sermon. The reply, which made Bloomfield a sadder and a wiser man, was: "Well, sir, I must say I can't agree with you. In spite of all you've said, I think there must be a God."
Walking Uprightly Through Life
The man who walks "a thousand miles in a thousand hours" is more generally admired than he who walks uprightly through three-score years and ten.