Earlier text: The First Migrations of the GothsNOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
By A. T. J.
“Ho, EVERY one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” This is an invitation to the thirsty of all lands to come to the Fountain of living waters. And no one anywhere who thirsts for this water—no one who desires righteousness—will ever be turned away empty. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” Matt. 5:6. “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14. Isaiah, too, gives the song that all these may sing: “And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Isa. 12:1-3. This gracious invitation is to all people,—“Ho, every one,”—“for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22:17. “WITHOUT money and without price.” “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Rom. 3:24, 25. Abraham is the “father of the faithful,” and he received that title because he believed God. When God told Abraham to look toward heaven and “tell the stars” if he were able to number them, and that so many—innumerable—should his seed be, Abraham believed it. “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Gen. 15:5, 6. “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Rom. 4:23-25. As the Lord said to Abraham, as the number of the stars “so shall thy seed be;” so he says to every man, of his sins, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” “Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” And as Abraham believed God in that, so must we believe God in this. And as in that Abraham’s belief was counted to him for righteousness, so in this our belief is counted to us for righteousness. So Abraham became the father of the faithful. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” “WHEREFORE do ye spend money for that which is not bread?” It may not be exactly the thought that was in the mind of the prophet; but we would take occasion to remark upon this, that multitudes of people, and those who suppose themselves Christian people too, not only spend their money for that which is not bread, but spend it for that which is worse than no bread. Tobacco, for instance—why do you spend your money for that? It simply creates an appetite that destroys the will and makes an idolater of him that uses it. Why do you spend your money for gold and jewels, rings and ear-rings, and to keep pace with all the foibles of fashion and the ways of the world? It is simply to foster pride, and the desire to please the world rather than to please God. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” And it is “the god of this world,” which blinds the minds of them that believe not. Shall the Lord be your God? or shall the god of this world be your god? WHY do you spend “your labor for that which satisfeth not?” “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you.” Spend your money for that which will spread among men the love and glory of Christ. Labor to show forth the virtues of God, and the graces of the Spirit of Christ. Labor to adorn the doctrine of God, and not your own person. And then when He who searches the heart, shall reward every man “according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings,” you will find that you have labored for “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life;” then it will be seen that you have labored for that upon which you can feed to all eternity, and for that which “satisfieth” indeed. “With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” Ps. 91:16. “SEEK ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.” This plainly suggests a time when the Lord may not be found even though he be sought for, and when he will not be near even though he be called upon. Men may talk eloquently about the gospel continuing forever; about the world becoming converted; and all such imaginary things. But the angel of God “sware by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein,” that “the mystery of God should be finished.” Rev. 10:5-7. The mystery of God is the gospel of Christ; it is the work of Christ in this salvation of men. 1 Tim. 3:16. Christ declared repeatedly that this world will end, and that it will end in wickedness, such as was in the days of Noah, and which had to be swept from the earth by the furious flood. In all the Bible the end of the world is spoken of in no other way than as ending in wickedness. And the doctrine of the conversion of the world is only an invention of Satan to blind the eyes of the children of men, that they may not see the dangers and duties of the last days, as they are portrayed in the faithful word. There is to be a “day of vengeance of our God,” and that day of vengeance begins when the “day of salvation,” the “acceptable year of the Lord,” ends. IN the hand of the Lord is the “cup of salvation” (Ps. 116:13), “and he poureth out of the same” to all who will accept “the gracious invitation.” But when the dregs of that cup are reached, then these are poured into the “cup of his indignation,” and “all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.” Ps. 75:8; Rev. 14:10; 15:1; 16:1-21; Jer. 25:15-33. All who will not willingly and freely drink of the “cup of salvation,” will be compelled to drink deeply of the “cup of indignation.” “And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Ye shall certainly drink.” Jer. 25:28. Then will be the time spoken of in Proverbs 1:24-33, when the Lord may not be found, neither will he hear: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.” “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.” “LET the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Eze. 33:11. “For the Lord delighteth in mercy.” The wicked man is to forsake his ways and learn the way of God. He is to forsake his thoughts, and learn the thoughts of God. These he must learn by the Spirit of God, which the Lord giveth to those who will forsake their sins, and ask him to guide them into the way of his thoughts; for his “thoughts are very deep.” “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. . . . But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:10-15. THERE is no way right but the Lord’s way, and to find that way we must first forsake our own way. There are no right thoughts but the Lord’s thoughts, and to find these thoughts we must first forsake our own thoughts. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Editorial Correspondence.
By Editor
OUR last letter reached to the time of our arrival in Battle Creek, where we found a good home at the Sanitarium. If anything can compensate for the discomforts of a cold winter, it is a home in a place so well appointed as this. But I would not be understood as decrying a moderately cold climate. These climates have always produced a vigorous, thrifty type of manhood. But at our age, and with our experience on the Pacific Coast, we have learned to love the genial climate of California. The Sanitarium has quite an army of patients. The whole number of inmates during this meeting, patients, employees, and guests, is about 330. THE S. D. A. GENERAL CONFERENCE.
The General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists met November 18. Over seventy delegates are present, representing twenty-seven Conferences. Never, since our work has spread from ocean to ocean, have the Conferences been so thoroughly represented. Brother C. M. Andrews, son of Elder J. N. Andrews, represents the Central European Mission. One of the most interesting points on this subject is the presence of Brother R. L. Jeffrey, a colored man, who came to represent a company of Sabbath-keepers in British Guiana, South America. Brother Jeffrey was converted to the Christian faith under the missionaries of the Lutheran Church, and was employed as a teacher under the Government. A copy of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES came into his hands, by what means he does not know, which produced an entire revolution in his faith and his plans of life. Others embraced the truth as readily as himself, and the company, at last advices—for he has received a letter since coming to the United States informing him that more have embraced the faith—is twenty-two. He is delighted with his association with us as a people, and we sincerely hope that he may not be suffered to return alone to his people. He desires to remain here for a reasonable time to receive instruction; and a good, devoted man, possessed of the true missionary spirit, should return with him. The work is fast increasing both in amount and extent, so that besides the regular committees, quite a large number of special committees have been appointed, this being the only manner in which the very large amount of business coming before the body can be disposed of in the brief time allotted to the session. Most of the committees are yet standing, and the variety of topics introduced is so great that they can only be gathered from the detailed report. The committee to whom was referred the consideration of the arrests of the brethren for laboring on Sunday, reported and was discharged, November 23. This report was in part a vindication of the position and practice of the persons arrested, and partly advice to such persons how to proceed when prosecuted; and its reading produced a great sensation in the Conference. The idea was strongly expressed by many delegates, the President being of the number, that the time has come to take such a stand before the world. The issue is being pressed upon us, and we should not hesitate to meet it. The report was unanimously adopted by the Conference, and the large body of people present, men and women, who were not delegates, indorsed it by a rising vote. The officers were elected November 25, being nearly the same as those of last year, the only material change being that Elder R. A. Underwood was placed on the Executive Committee, which now consists of Elders Butler, Haskell, Olsen, White, and Underwood. To many, the location of laborers is one of the most interesting items of business. The votes already passed call Elder R. Conradi to Europe, to labor among the Germans; J. M. Rees, to East Tennessee; G. G. Rupert, to devote as much of his time in the South as his duties in his own Conference, Kentucky, will permit; J. D. Pegg, to labor in Colorado; E. W. Farnsworth and J. B. Goodrich, in New England; O. A. Olsen, to go to Europe to labor among the Scandinavians; D. T. Fero, in Upper Columbia Conference, especially in Idaho; a recommendation that Wm. Ings go to England was laid over at the request of the California delegates; but the recommendation was adopted that the present editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES go to Europe to assist the publishing houses there. The calls to go to Europe are not expected to be carried into immediate effect, unless it be in the case of Brother Conradi. The subject of city missions has been under the consideration of a committee for several days. The most important business transacted is the arrangement for the reconstruction of the mission in New York City, by the abolition of the reading room, and the placing of a corps of efficient workers there; and the organization of a mission in Washington City, for which a choice company of workers has been selected. Mission work has been done there in the past under the patronage of Brother Wright, of Virginia, who has done nobly for this and other city missions; but it was never organized and directed by the General Conference. At Brother Wright's earnest solicitation, the Conference has taken it in hand, and arranged to establish an efficient mission. We are glad to report that our people are becoming awakened to the importance of having educated or trained workers in the missions. We have long advocated the idea in our local missionary societies that the members ought to be instructed in their work; and we have wondered that some who profess deep interest in the work have opposed the idea. It is folly to suppose that every individual, whatever his calling and however lacking his opportunities, can write a suitable letter to send to all classes of people, without any instruction or aid from those whose opportunities and experience qualify them to afford the aid needed. Brother Starr, the superintendent of the Chicago mission, has proved his efficiency in training and instructing missionary workers, and several Conferences are now sending their devoted young people, male and female, to receive instruction there. We greatly rejoice at this, and hope the time will speedily come when all our local societies may receive such instruction as will greatly add to their efficiency. That they are doing a great deal of good now, by sending out our periodicals, is well known, and acknowledged by all; that they are not doing nearly the good they might and ought to do, is also acknowledged by all. Various questions on points of theology have come up; how to treat the subject of trine immersion was referred to the committee on resolutions, who reported that it is inconsistent and inexpedient to recognize trine immersion as Christian baptism, inasmuch as we believe it to be unscriptural, and its introduction into our churches must necessarily lead to confusion; they also reported a recommendation that a work on that subject be prepared in the German language. Both were adopted. Many points of church order or discipline have been raised, and we must express our surprise at the practices which still prevail among our churches, notwithstanding the errors have so clearly been pointed out in our publications. This would not be so very surprising if the matters rested with lay members; but in most of the cases to which reference has been made the fault lies with church officers and ministers. Evidently a more thorough instruction in "faith and practice" is much needed in the ministry. There have also been meetings of the Missionary Society, the Publishing Association, the Health Reform Institute and Sanitarium Improvement Association, and the Educational Society, but not much business has yet been transacted in any of these. How long the Conference will remain in session cannot now be told. Battle Creek, Nov. 26, 1885. Prosecutions for Sunday Labor.
IN view of prosecutions which have been instituted in various places against observers of the seventh day for quietly laboring in their legitimate callings on the first day of the week, and other prosecutions of a like nature which are impending, the question what course it would be proper for those to pursue who are involved in these prosecutions, came before the session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists which convened in Battle Creek, Mich., Nov. 18, 1885. The question having been referred to the undersigned committee, they submitted the following report, which was unanimously adopted by the delegates present, and also by the entire congregation. Your committee to whom was referred the matter of arrests of our brethren for laboring on the first day of the week, and of considering what is proper to advise them in cases of arrest, deem it advisable to set before the people some of the reasons of our practice, and of our advice in this matter. 1. The commandment of God, one of the ten commandments spoken and written by Jehovah himself, says: "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." As servants of God, recognizing and bowing to his authority, we have no option in this matter. By a precept which is plain in every particular, we are in conscience bound to keep the seventh day. But God, who rested from the work of creation upon the seventh day and reserved that day to himself as his Sabbath, and sanctified it as his holy day, also gave to man six days wherein to labor. If it be denied that we are commanded to work six days, it cannot be denied that the commandment contains a permission to work six days, and the permission has all the authority of the law and the Lawgiver. This permission is very dear to us, because it is often absolutely necessary to the proper support of ourselves and our families. 2. We not only hold it to be a most solemn duty to obey the precept of the law, but we claim it as a God-given right to avail ourselves of the permission contained in the law. As no man, no community of men, and no earthly Government has a right to forbid us to obey the law of Him who is "Supreme moral Governor," and who styles himself the "Governor among the nations," so no earthly power has a right to deprive us of the privileges and permissions specifically given to us by Jehovah himself. Our time is our choicest capital. While we confess our duty to pay tribute and custom for the support of the Government (and this we have always done willingly), we deny the right of any Government to deprive us of one-sixth of our time, our income, our property, for that which does not increase the revenues of the Government—does not add to its support in any particular; which is only an infringement upon our civil and religious privileges—a violation of the dearest rights of moral agents. The enforcement of these laws deeply injures us, while it benefits nobody.745 3. When laws are enacted which deprive us of the rights which God has given us, and which are used for the purpose of hindering us from keeping his law, we have the authority of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and the approved example of the servants of God of all ages, to obey him, to keep his precepts, even if we have to suffer the penalties of human enactments. Daniel prayed to the God of Heaven, when the law of the land strictly forbade his doing so, and when the penalty was to be thrown into a den of lions. His three brethren refused to worship the image which the king had set up, though the law requiring such worship was very specific in its terms and its penalty most terrible. They appealed to God from the decree of the king. The apostles said: "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." And they suffered stripes and imprisonment rather than to disobey God. But God approved them all, and vindicated them in their actions. 4. While we have no desire to criticise the action of the courts, we feel compelled to express our dissent from a decision rendered in one of these cases, which was as follows: "The law forbidding all labor on Sunday is no infringement upon the religious rights of any. The State requires all her citizens to keep the first day; and if they choose, in addition to this, to keep the seventh day, that is a sacrifice to their religion, with which the State does not interfere." Against this we refer to the defense of rights which we have already given. The same ruling might have been made against the three Hebrews in Babylon, thus: The king required them to bow down and worship the image which he had set up. If they chose, in addition to this, to bow down to their God and worship him, the king did not interfere with such worship. Such laws are not merely extra, or outside of reference to the law of God, but are actually against the law of God. Worship of God forbids the worship of anything besides him. The Sunday institution was designed as a substitute for the Sabbath of the Lord; and it is impossible to keep aright the Sabbath of the Lord as he has commanded, and to keep a human substitute for it at the same time. "No man can serve two masters." We have already shown that it is an infringement upon our rights to compel us to keep the first day; that we cannot properly support ourselves and our families and rest two days of the week. And therefore compulsion to rest the first day is equivalent to compulsion to labor on the seventh day, or to be deprived of the bounties which God has mercifully bestowed upon us. Its direct tendency is to deprive us of our religious rights, or to cause us to suffer pains and penalties if we insist upon our rights. 5. That these arrests are not only actually, but intentionally, religious persecution, we have evidence which we here present for the consideration of our fellow-citizens:— (1) By inquiry we have learned that the arrests of our brethren have been instigated by professed Christians, who thus forfeit their own standing as Christians by violating the "golden rule" of our Saviour, which requires of all that they should do unto others as they would that others should do unto them. Not content in the enjoyment of all the rights of conscience themselves, they endeavor to deprive their fellow-men and Christians of the same rights. We hesitate not to say that their position as related to those whom they are persecuting is similar to that of Cain to Abel, as represented by the apostle John, who says: "And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." Why do they seek to deny the precious rights of conscience to their brethren? Because their brethren keep the commandment of God, and they do not. We believe their action springs entirely from prejudice and religious bigotry, not from zeal for the truth of God. For this we give the following further reason:— (2) We are also informed that where these arrests have been made, the attention of the prosecutors and of the grand jury has been called to the cases of the reckless and the profane who were constantly and openly violating the Sunday law, working at a great variety of businesses, shooting, fishing, etc., on the first day of the week. But the cases of such have been ignored, and indictments presented only against those who labor on the first day, because they keep the seventh day "according to the commandment." Facts evident to every one compel us to believe that these our brethren who have been arrested and fined, would not have been arrested though they worked on first day in common with many of their neighbors, if they had not also rested on the seventh day. This marks the proceedings unmistakably as religious persecution. And it proves that those religious zealots who are instrumental in causing these arrests, are not moved by any high regard for the human law which requires the observance of the Sunday, but they are actuated by enmity against the divine law, which requires the observance of the seventh day. If they really wished to protect the Sunday, there are plenty of violators of the law besides those conscientious Christians who keep the seventh day out of respect to the divine precept. But the former are not disturbed; the latter are fined, and may be imprisoned. 6. We object to being classed with the Mormons (as we have been by some), who practice immorality under the guise of religion, and say they are persecuted if restrained in their practices. We affirm that our case is no parallel to theirs. Polygamy was never commanded in the Scriptures. It was never practiced as a part of anybody's religion, but as a matter of choice. It was and is a violation of God's original institution of marriage. It is contrary to the comments or instruction of the Saviour upon the marriage institution. God created man male and female, not male-and females; the Saviour said a man shall cleave unto his wife, not unto his wives; he said they two shall be one flesh, not they three or they five. It was permitted—as many other things were permitted in that dispensation—but not in any precept, as man is permitted to work six days. Not a sentence can be found in the Bible proving that it is an ordinance of God. Now, because polygamy is a matter of human choice, and not of Bible precept, we deny that it is religious, in any proper sense of that word. And because it is contrary to the original marriage ordinance of God, we declare that it is an immorality. To the contrary, the seventh day was set apart by God himself at creation, and incorporated into his commandment as given at Mount Sinai. No one dare say that it is an immorality to keep any and all of the ten commandments. It is morality itself; for the ten commandments are the moral law. Surely it is a great injustice to us and to the law of God to class us with them, or to compare our practice with theirs. In view of all these considerations, we feel constrained to advise our brethren in those States where they are being persecuted, or wherever they may be persecuted for their devotion to the commandment of God, as follows:— 1. Continue, in a peaceable and quiet manner, to obey God in keeping the seventh day, and to exercise your natural and religious right to work six days. We call it a religious right, because it is inseparably connected with the observance of the Sabbath, and is confirmed unto us in the law of Him who is the only true object of worship. 2. In case you are prosecuted therefor, obtain the best counsel you can to represent you in the court. Be sure that your counsel is a man of ability and standing; a man of known integrity, who will not resort to any cavils and trickery, but will command the respect of the court and of the people. 3. If you are convicted, take an appeal to the Supreme Court of your State. 4. If the conviction is affirmed in the Supreme Court, then avoid paying fines if it is possible, and suffer imprisonment instead. We believe that it will have a good moral effect to suffer imprisonment rather than to pay fines. Not that it is our desire to have our brethren imprisoned, but this will most forcibly call attention to the injustice of the law, and also lead all classes to consider well the motives of those who instigate persecution against quiet and inoffensive Christian citizens for 'conscience' sake—for their adherence to their faith in and practice of the law of the Most High. 5. If the decision against you in the lower court is affirmed in the Supreme Court, then it will be quite unnecessary to contest any other cases in that lower court. Let the case go by default, and thus save trouble, and submit to imprisonment without murmuring or complaining. But as the ruling may be different in different courts, we advise that in other parts of the same State, and in other lower courts, cases be contested, as test cases, as an opportunity will thus be presented of getting the truth before the people in a forcible manner. But if conviction follows, then it will be useless to appeal a second time to the same Supreme Court. And we entreat you, dear brethren, to exercise a meek and quiet spirit in all your lives. Be not boastful, and avoid giving offense; let it be said of you as was said of Daniel: "We shall not find any occasion against him, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." Remember the words of inspiration: "If when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." Everything indicates that the struggle in vindication of the great principles of the Reformation is to be re-enacted in the United States. Our reading of the prophetic word has enabled us to foresee these things; for years we have looked for them. And if we shall be counted worthy to have a part in this work, and to suffer for the sake of the precious truth of God, let us walk after the example of Him who suffered for us, and who will crown his faithful followers with glory and immortality. Respectfully submitted,—
J. H. WAGGONER,
U. SMITH,
O. A. OLSEN,
J. FARGO,
WM. COVERT,
Committee. Converting China
By Editor
THE New York Sun, noticing the recent appropriations for foreign and domestic missions, made by the Methodist Church, says:— "We observe about one-fourth of all the money contributed for missions by the Methodists is to be sent to China. We have here more than one hundred thousand Chinamen, who are as far away from Christianity as when they first landed in the United States. The best way, the only way to convert China, is to send back as an enthusiastic, devoted Christian every Chinaman who comes to the United States." If that is the best and only way, then China will never be converted; for, with but few exceptions, it is as the Sun says, the one hundred thousand Chinamen who are here are still "as far away from Christianity as when they first landed in the United States." Most of them are doubtless farther away. And why? Simply because there are a good many hundred thousand Americans who have lived in this country longer than the Chinamen have, who are no nearer Christianity now than the Chinamen were when they came. No entire nation ever has been or ever will be Christianized; but we are confident that missionaries among the Chinese will have a more hopeful task if they take them in their own country, before they lose confidence in Christianity by seeing the vices and wickedness of so-called "Christian nations." The Missionary.
By Stephen N. Haskell
IN some respects the work in the colonies has not been as easy as might have been expected; yet from time to time we have seen encouraging features that have caused our hearts to rejoice. Quite a number in Australia have taken their stand to keep all the commandments of God, and we have some fruit in New Zealand. But there are circumstances which frequently take place that show that the missionary work in America is doing much in warning the world, and preparing hearts for the truth in the most distant and isolated places. Not long since, an interesting circumstance came to light while Brother Israel was visiting the ships at the port of Williamsburg, near Melbourne. When he showed the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, the captain at once said, "Yes, I am acquainted with that paper. While in India, we had them brought on board our ship by a missionary, and freely distributed." This, of course, excited our curiosity to know how they came in India, and who was there that took an interest to do missionary work with them. But it was left a mystery. We wrote to the missionary, and sent him a package of publications, proposing to send more if they were acceptable. We also sent a library set for their seaman's library. Thus the matter was left. Since coming to New Zealand, we have become acquainted with a number of people who have lived in India for many years; some of them were natives of that country, and to all appearance humble and devoted people. From these individuals we have learned much that will be of service to us in our future labors. At one house, a few days since, when I took out the SIGNS, the lady, who was a native of India, said, "I am well acquainted with that747 paper." "Indeed," I said, "where did you see this paper?" "In India," she replied, "Quantities have been sent there from both America and England." "Who received them, if I may ask?" "A Mr. Spence," she replied. At first I could not call to mind anything about Mr. Spence; but as she described the man, it finally came to me who he was. The first correspondence with this gentleman of which I have any knowledge was by a brother in Battle Creek, Mich. I received his address from him, and corresponded with him, not only with reference to his receiving our publications, but also translating some of them into the native languages. So I said to the lady that I had corresponded with him. "Yes," she said, "I knew it." The family where I was visiting were intimate friends of Mr. Spence, as also of other families with whom I have become acquainted. Mr. Spence is a kind of distributer to the various missions. It almost seemed that I had met with old acquaintances. The report she gave of the man greatly encouraged my heart. This family is reading, and we hope that in due time they may see the truth so clear that they will take their stand on the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord, having received their first impressions in distant India. When we have labored for persons living on the opposite side of the globe from us, and have corresponded with them, and have borne them on our hearts and have prayed for them day by day, and suddenly find ourselves in their presence, we have a foretaste of the bliss of Heaven. 2 Cor. 2: 14; 1 Thess. 2: 19, 20. We have also seen other fruits of the labor on the Pacific Coast. When I arrived here, as I supposed a perfect stranger to all in this colony, especially in this city, Auckland, being entirely alone, I went to meeting on Sunday. On being introduced to the minister, he soon began to speak about our works, and said that he had read a number of our books. I asked what ones. He mentioned the "Atonement," by Elder Waggoner, and "Refutation of the Age to Come." Then he spoke of Elder Andrews' work on the Third Angel's Message. In short, he was well informed, and had just sent to America for certain books from the Review office. I learned that a gentleman who had attended our camp-meeting at Alameda, Cal., had traveled here and sold our publications. He said that many had purchased of him. I met another American gentleman also. He wished to know if I had ever heard of Doctor Kellogg of Battle Creek, and said that he had a copy of his work, "Home Hand-Book," and as others wished it, if I knew how he could get another, he would sell his. He then told me that the hygienic cook book had been purchased here, and told me where I could find them. He said they had a number of the doctor's works. When my name was announced in the papers, and it was said that I had come here for the purpose of establishing an agency, there were many who knew who I was, and were acquainted with our work and mission. This has so far been a help to me in Auckland, N. Z., and has given me influence in this city in some instances. Our work is not done in a corner. The truth has gone even to earth's remotest bounds, and it is destined to go. The Lord is in it, and it can no more be arrested in its onward march than the sun can be stopped in its career. There is no telling the result of sending out a tract or a copy of the SIGNS. When once mailed, the providence of God takes the supervision of the truth, and directs it to the hearts of the honest. Could we realize the importance of disseminating the truth, there is not a person in the world that has any idea of sacred things but would crave the privilege of doing something, making some investment in an enterprise like this, and that to the extent of their ability to forward the work of God.