Earlier text: General ArticlesThe Increase of Crime in Maine
As is readily seen from the above, the number of prisoners held for crime in 1880 is 180 more than in 1851, or an actual increase of 207 per cent. Place by the side of this, the fact that during the same number of years (twenty-nine) Maine's increase of population has been but 61,265, or only 14 per cent, and we are startled to learn that felonious crimes have increased 183 per cent faster than the population. And what is more appalling, is the fact that 62 per cent of these prisoners in 1880 were natives of Maine, 64 per cent of them were convicted before reaching the age of thirty, and 18 per cent, before they were twenty-one. In referring to these facts the Chronicle makes the following forcible remarks: "The causes of this alarming increase of crime in a State which has never rated above the average in that respect till now, are inexplicable. They cannot be traced to rum, for Maine has long had a prohibitory liquor law in force; nor to natural heat of temper, influenced, as in Southern latitudes, by a very hot climate, since Maine's climate is more frigid than torrid; nor to ignorance, because the State is well provided with public schools; nor to the presence of large masses of foreigners, because that class stands lowest on the prison record; nor to the baleful influences of large cosmopolitan cities, for the most populous city in Maine, Portland, contains less than 34,000 inhabitants." "Can it be that crime in all the other States has increased in even proportion with Maine? If so, why? Is there anything or many things in the structure of society in America so changed since thirty years ago that leads our youth into criminal habits? If so, what? Can it be the decline of trades and apprenticeship, and the consequent unfitness of the rising generation to earn an honest living? Is it the loosening of religious ties from a too general and superficial study of what we call 'science?' Is it the result of loose divorce laws, which weaken family influences on the young? Or is it the dominating, all-prevading vice of avarice, that subordinates everything to the hunger and thirst for sudden riches at any cost of conscience and reputation? Or is it all these things combined? The subject is one that demands the profound attention of the best minds of the age. The exhibit is astounding, and worst of all, it is to be feared that Maine's showing is as good as the average of the country." Coming from the source it does, these remarks should be thoughtfully considered. Can it be possible that the editor of a secular daily like the Chronicle, who is supposed to simply record the news of the day without moralizing, sees these matters in the light of increasing depravity of heart? How strange then that those who read the Bible cannot see them in the same light and recognize the time of which the apostle speaks in 2 Tim. 3:1-5. How true that evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, and that the world is ripening up for the time when the decree will go forth: "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come get you down, for the press is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great." Joel 3:13. JOHN KNOX.
By John Nevins Andrews
THERE is no evangelical denomination but what can point to their founders as men of God, possessing much of the spirit of Christ; men who did not count their lives dear to themselves if they could serve Christ in advancing what they believed to be the truth and work of God. Notwithstanding their devotion and willingness to sacrifice all to the work in which they were engaged, they yet possessed many peculiarities. It will be seen that God calls men, not because they are perfect, but because they have a willing heart. Scotland has furnished men and women, of noble souls and moral worth, to the cause of reform. John Knox was one of these. He was born in Scotland in 1505. A difference of opinion is expressed by different authors respecting his parentage, and the place of his nativity. He, however, received a liberal education, a circumstance not usual in those times. Although there were undoubtedly learned Scotchmen in the early part of the sixteenth century, the most of them owed their chief acquirements to a foreign education. The Greek language remained unknown in this country long after it had become a fixed branch of education in the neighboring kingdom. This language, however, Knox acquired before he had reached middle age, and also, at a later date, during his exile from Scotland, the Hebrew language. While Knox was a student in the University at Glasgow, we can begin to trace, in the opinions of his preceptor, faint glimmerings of the light which was in after years to shine forth with so much clearness through his instrumentality. This man taught that a General Council was superior to the Pope, and might judge, rebuke, restrain, and even depose, him from his dignity; he denied the temporal supremacy of the bishop of Rome, and his right to inaugurate or dethrone princes; and maintained that papal censures, and even excommunications, had no force if pronounced on invalid or irrelevant grounds, etc. Passing through the avenues of secular learning, Knox devoted himself to the study of divine truth, and the labors of the sacred ministry, having been ordained priest before arriving at the age fixed by the canons of the church. Not satisfied with the extracts from ancient authors found in the writings of scholastic divines, he resolved to have recourse to the original works. Here he found that which caused a complete revolution in his religious sentiments. Among the Christian Fathers, Jerome and Augustine attracted his particular attention. By the writings of the former, he was led to the Scriptures as the only pure fountain of divine truth, and instructed in the utility of studying them in the original language. In the works of the latter, he found religious sentiments very opposite to those taught in the Romish church, which, while she retained his name as a saint in her calendar, had banished his doctrines, as heretical, from her pulpits. This was about the year 1535, but it does not appear that he professed himself a Protestant until 1542. Previous to this, the reform doctrine had made considerable progress in Scotland. In 1525 an act passed Parliament, prohibiting ships from bringing any of Luther's books into that country, which had always "bene clene of all sic filth and vice." It is supposed, from this circumstance, that these books had already found their way there.117 Between the years 1530 and 1540, many innocent and excellent men suffered the most cruel death, and others escaped to England, and the Continent. But these violent measures could not arrest the progress of truth. By means of the merchants who carried on trade in Scotland with other countries, many Protestant books were imported, and circulated throughout the country. Poets, under the cover of wit and satire, lashed the vices of the clergy, and exposed to ridicule many of the absurdities and superstitions of Popery. Plays, professing to correct the abuses of all classes, although principally directed against those of the church, were acted before the royal family, the court, and vast assemblies of people, to the great mortification and still greater damage of the clergy. Enactments of law were repeatedly procured against the circulation of "seditious rhymes and blasphemous ballads," but still they were everywhere disseminated and read with avidity. From 1540 to 1542 the number of reformers increased rapidly. Twice an attempt was made by the clergy to cut them off by one desperate blow, but they failed in the execution of their design. In this state of affairs, Knox did not remain long unaffected, and, having aroused the suspicions of the clergy, he left the university and retired into the south of Scotland. He was then pronounced a heretic, deprived of priestly orders, and assassins were employed to waylay him. The government from time to time favored the Reformation to some extent, so that at one time it became lawful to read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue. The errors of Popery were then attacked by the Scottish press, and many who had fled the country returned. Among these was George Wishart, a person of great learning, eloquence, piety, zeal, and meekness. To this teacher Knox attached himself, and for a time before his imprisonment, waited constantly on his person. Of the future usefulness of Knox and his own martyrdom, Wishart had strong presentiments. On the night in which he was apprehended he would not permit Knox to accompany him, but dismissed him with the reply "Nay, returne to you bairnes (pupils), and God blis you; ane is sufficient for a sacrifice." After this, Knox entered a private family as tutor; but managed to conduct the religious education of the youth under his charge in so public a manner as to benefit the whole neighborhood. He was soon, however, obliged to conceal himself, and remove from place to place, to provide for his safety. STARTLING INCREASE OF CRIME.
By Eld. J. O. Corliss
UNDER this heading the San Francisco Chronicle gives the comparative criminal statistics of the State of Maine for the years 1851, and 1880. The figures are taken from a report published by authority of General Porter, Chairman of the Board of State Prison Inspectors for that State, and may consequently be considered correct. The figures are as follows:— |
1851 |
1880 |
|---|
| Murders |
4 |
21 |
| Manslaughter |
1 |
5 |
| Assault to murder |
3 |
7 |
| Arson |
4 |
9 |
| Rape |
1 |
9 |
| Attempt to rape |
1 |
6 |
| Felonious assaults |
|
4 |
| Robbery |
|
4 |
| Piracy |
|
2 |
| All others |
73 |
200 |
| Totals |
87 |
267 |
| Per cent of increase |
|
207 |
THE tongue spoken by Christ was the theme for discussion at a recent conference of Baptist ministers in this city, eliciting a variety of views, one speaker even holding that since Jesus was able, in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, to hold conversation with a Syro-Phœnician woman, the Irish tongue, being of Phœnician descent, might be a dialect of the language in which the Saviour taught and spoke. This conclusion certainly has the merit of novelty, but we cannot imagine that scholars will generally adopt it, since the connection between the Erse and the Phœnician is quite too remote for serious consideration. Those who have traveled in Switzerland will recall the wonderful facility with which, in the border cantons, even children pass from French to German and Italian, speaking all three languages with equal ease. There was a similar general acquaintance with Latin, Greek, and Aramaic in Palestine at the time of Christ. Latin was the language of official life, Greek the medium of polite intercourse, the Aramaic the tongue of the common people, and the pure Hebrew had become in His day virtually a dead language. It is not impossible that our Saviour was familiar with Latin, and it is certain, from his quotations from the Septuagint and from the fact that Greek was spoken in towns as near his home as Cæsarea and Tiberias, that he was acquainted with Greek. Some of his quotations, too, refer directly to the Hebrew Scriptures, making clear that he had at least an equal knowledge of Hebrew. But the Syriac or west-Aramaic, the tongue of the common people, was doubtless the language in which He thought and commonly spoke, though he had sufficient acquaintance with the other current tongues to speak with Pilate, to be at home in Tiberias, and to have a delicate sense of the precise force of terms in the Hebrew Scriptures.—Christian at Work. The Value of Studying One Text
ONE text well studied is of more value than a whole book of the Bible hurriedly run over. But where one stops to think, a score hurry from place to place like a gold-prospector who picks up a pebble anywhere and everywhere, but never sinks a shaft to reach the rich veins that lie deep in the bowels of the earth. Children Reflect Their Parents
By Dr. Lyman Abbott
EVERY child is a hand mirror; if you see some ugly features in your looking-glass, correct your own face and figure.—Dr. Lyman Abbott. A Whole Heart and Broken Heart
It has been well said, that God requires a whole heart for affection, but a broken heart for sacrifice. Consulting God About Duty
MANY consult God about their safety who would never consult him about their duty. THE desert rose, though never seen by man,
Is nurtured with a care divinely good;
The ocean gem, though 'neath the rolling main,
Is ever brilliant in the eyes of God. Think not thy work and worth are all unknown,
Because no partial pensman paints thy praise;
Man may not see nor mind, but God will own
Thy worth and work, thy thoughts and words and ways. GLEANINGS FROM THE EASTERN FIELD.
MICHIGAN, Mundy Center.—Bro. E. P. Daniels writes, Feb. 15, that as the result of his six weeks' labor in this place, "eight have signed the covenant to obey the law of God and keep the faith of Jesus. Others will decide ere long. We do not feel that our work is yet done in this place. Tobacco, tea, coffee, and hard cider have had much to do in keeping the people from obeying the truth. This state of things led us to hold a temperance meeting, which resulted in the organization of a health and temperance society, with twenty-eight teetotal pledge members, most of whom are heads of families." COLORADO, Silver Cliff.—Mrs. G. W. Voris, writing from this place, says: "We have a church of over twenty members. Bro. Stover is our leader. We are anxious to have a minister visit us." WISCONSIN, Kickapoo Center, Newville, and Victory.—Bro. A. D. Olsen reports good meetings in each of these places. At Newville he gave a short course of doctrinal and practical discourses, and as the result five commenced to keep the Sabbath and will probably unite with the church at Kickapoo Center. ILLINOIS, Gridley and Oakland.—Nov. 19, Eld. C. H. Bliss began meetings in a school-house four miles south of Gridley, and remained nearly four weeks. Seventeen arose for prayers, the most of whom made a profession of religion. During January he visited the church at Oakland, where three made a start in the service of God and two joined the church. INDIANA, Forest Chapel.—Since Jan. 15, thirty-four discourses have been given here by Bro. Wm Covert. Eight have commenced to observe the Sabbath, and the interest continues good. IOWA, Birmingham.—Bro. Ira J. Hankins thus reports the work in this place: "Began meetings here Jan. 29, and continued them twelve days. Seven more signed the covenant, making in all seventeen who are now keeping the Sabbath. They have a weekly prayer-meeting, besides Sabbath-school and Sabbath meetings. They have also a tract society, and are interested in doing missionary work." MASSACHUSETTS, Danvers.—"After an absence of nearly three years," says Eld. D. M. Canright, "I have just enjoyed a two weeks' visit with this church. The outside attendance was good, and the interest excellent. The preaching was largely of a practical and revival nature. We enjoyed several most excellent prayer and social meetings. All expressed themselves as greatly encouraged. By a rising vote, the entire church made a solemn vow to bury past trials, love one another more, and live nearer to God. About a dozen youth made a start in the Christian life. A contribution was raised more than sufficient to pay my expenses here. Have enjoyed the privilege of having my children with me a week. To me I find it is the sweetest of all work to labor for Christ and for the salvation of men. In this work, I find peace of mind and joy of heart, and to it I mean to consecrate my life anew." Temperance.
By W. N. Glenn
The regular meeting of the Oakland Health and Temperance Club was held Sunday evening, the 6th inst. There was an unusually large audience present, indicating an increasing interest in the cause of temperance. The meeting was opened by singing, “Father We Come to Thee,” from “Temperance and Gospel Songs,” followed by prayer by Eld. Corliss. Col. C. N. Goulding, of Ohio, late U. S. Consul at Hong Kong, delivered a stirring lecture. He said that although he was far from home, the interest of the people here was his interest; what was for the benefit of our families was for the benefit of his family—the interest of the whole country was one. He referred to the pride of country generally felt by American citizens, and then made the startling assertion that this great country was controlled and governed by whisky. And what is said of the nation at large may be said of nearly every city in the Union. The speaker exposed the swindling nature of the liquor business, as well as the poisonous compounds sold and drank in the saloons. He was particularly severe upon the saloon-keepers, who toil not, yet display diamond pins and rings, and fine clothes paid for by the earnings of the laborer and artisan; these are the saloon-keeper's slaves. He claimed that everybody knew temperance to be right; no one would choose a drunken physician to attend his family, or choose to have a case tried before a drunken justice. The rum-seller follows the business for the money there is in it, and his excuse is not that it is right, but that if he doesn't sell the liquor some one else will; and this excuse was deftly applied to other crimes, such as murder, robbery and theft, as illustrative of the fallacy of the plea. The speaker made a special appeal to young men, alluding to many prominent and talented men who had died prematurely and filled drunkards' graves. He dwelt emphatically upon the erroneous idea that they could drink and let it alone just as they pleased. He had been thus deluded for twenty-seven years; had lost position, property, and his manhood, all the time saying that when whisky became his master they would part company. An earnest appeal was also made to Christian professors, urging them to let their light shine for the temperance cause. Of the many apt illustrations brought out during the lecture, none were more forcible than that of the blind man who carried a lantern in a dark night, not that it assisted him in his journey, but to keep others from stumbling over him. The remedy proposed for the evils of the liquor traffic is law-prohibition, and the speaker claimed that more progress is being made in the temperance reform than is generally conceded; that never since Sumter was fired upon, have the people been more thoroughly aroused upon any subject than they are now upon the temperance question. We hope this is true. Col. Goulding proposes to carry on a vigorous crusade in this city and San Francisco. After singing by the choir, Elder S. N. Haskell was called upon, and as his manner is, turned to the Bible. He read in Num. 6:1-4, the first temperance pledge we have any record of: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.” In a few comprehensive remarks it was shown how Adam, the head of the first race, and Noah, the head of the second race, had both fallen through the indulgence of appetite. God would have those who were set apart to his service free from all intemperate influences, and the reason for forbidding the use of the sweet wine was because there was but one step between that and the stronger liquor. He instanced Daniel and others as illustrations that God would specially bless with superior wisdom and prosperity those whose lives and habits were strictly temperate. The remarks of both speakers were highly appreciated, and the entertainment exceeded that of any meeting we have had for several months. Sixteen new signatures were added to the various pledges, making 221 now on the Club roll. W. N. GLENN, Sec. The Many Heads of Intemperance
By St. Chrysostom
INTEMPERANCE is a hydra with a hundred heads. She never stalks abroad, unaccompanied with impurity, anger, and the most infamous profligacies. Carnal Pleasure, Satan’s Bed
ALL carnal pleasure is Satan's bed, into which he casts his victims. Temperance in the British Army
Temperance in the British army is making rapid progress, and the support given to the movement by the leaders most popular in the army is a source of encouragement to the men. The National Temperance League held a meeting in London on January 4, to consider the best means of promoting temperance in both army and navy. The Lord Mayor presided, and he was accompanied by a grand array of generals and admirals. It was stated that there are 20,000 teetotal members in the army, being one-sixth of the entire force. Of these, about 8,000 belong to regiments stationed in India, where the proportion of abstainers is higher than at home. Of the 60,000 men in the navy, upward of 7,000 are registered abstainers, and the officers' branch consists of 158 members. Much attention has been given to the 4,000 boys on board the Queen's training ships, of whom more than one-half are abstainers.—Christian Herald. "That pipe is your master, and you are a slave," said a gentleman to a friend, who had lost a favorite pipe, and was hunting it up. So it is; bad habits are our masters. A habit that is evil is constantly drawing upon the purse, upon the time, and upon the strength of such as are so controlled. Some are under a variety of evil habits, each one of which is calling for gratification, and each striving for full control. Many are so under the power of their appetites and lusts that they have little self-control. When not under the influence of one stimulant, they pass under the influence of another, until they can be said to be more or less intoxicated continually. Good habits of life, such as temperance, patience, industry, economy, virtue, purity, may be said to be like firm and true friends, who will always exercise a fatherly care for you. In sickness or trial they comfort you, in sorrow they strengthen you, and in need they enrich you; in the heat of summer or the cold of winter they are alike a defense and a safeguard; among strangers they are your vouchers, and among friends, good habits are a never-failing source of happiness and strength. Habits of devotion, habits of order, habits of studiousness, are of great value; habits of civility and courteousness, habits of sobriety and care for the feelings of others,—these are all more valuable to society than the richest mines of gold. Slavery to evil habits impoverishes and degrades the soul more than the iron sceptre of despotism. This kind of slavery darkens the mind, disorders the intellect, blunts the moral powers, and hardens the heart, and in course of time, turns the warm and kind heart, into a desert of conflicting and corroding passions, and blots out the image of God from the soul. Good habits are like fertilizing rains and warm suns upon the fertile soil. They cause all the best graces and virtues to spring forth, until the heart is like a watered garden. Good habits are like cash deposited in a good bank; they are a sure source of wealth or competence; these feed the poor, clothe the naked, and comfort the afflicted.