Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 32.
Come Now, Let Us Reason TogetherPage 1
Earlier text: STAND FOR THE TRUTHTHE RELATION OF THE W. C. T. U. TO SUNDAY LAWS.
By Alonzo T. Jones
IN the Union Signal of June 6, 1889, under the head of “Special Difficulties,” is the following:— “Query—‘Does the W. C. T. U. favor a Sunday law that will oppress seventh-day believers?’” “Answer—‘The N. W. C. T. U. has repeatedly placed itself on record by resolution as desiring protection for conscientious observers of Saturday as the Sabbath, and the petition to Congress at the National Convention in New York City, expressly asked for this. In the now celebrated “hearing” before the Congressional Committee in December, the national superintendent especially urged this point, as can be seen on page twenty-four of the report. The American Sabbath Union at its Washington convention, did not join this special request, believing that the bill as prepared by Senator Blair already provides for all protection which is possible if we have any Sunday law at all. This is also Senator Blair’s opinion. “The clause of the Sunday-rest bill referred to, not only excepts work of necessity, mercy or humanity, but forbids only secular work, labor, or business, to the disturbance of others. What shape the bill will finally take before Congress, it is impossible to foresee. “Our seventh-day friends make it hard for us to get an exemption clause, because they insist on the same rights for Sunday as for any other day of the week, which would result, wherever there were many of them, in having not two Sabbaths, but no Sabbath at all, as is already the case in many such places, according to the most reliable testimony. The American people have a right to insist that the Sabbath must be maintained, and Dr. A. H. Lewis, representative of the Seventh-day Baptists, says on page forty-three of the “Notes of the Hearing,” in reply to a question of the Chairman: ‘If the pursuing of railroad business upon the first day of the week, by Seventh-day Baptists or any others, were shown to be necessarily inimical to the best interests of the commonwealth, we would agree that it should be restrained.’ In other words, the rights of the few must yield to those of the many, when they necessarily conflict, and this doctrine is fundamental to our form of government. “[Signed] MRS. J. C. BATEHAM,
“Superintendent Sabbath Observance.” It is plain from this that the seventh-day friends, who make it so hard for the Sunday folks to get an exemption clause into their law, are the Seventh-day Adventists and not the Seventh-day Baptists; because Dr. Lewis, who is referred to by Mrs. Bateham in behalf of the Seventh-day Baptists, asked for an exemption clause to be inserted as505 section seven of the original Blair bill, while I, at that same hearing, absolutely denied the right of any legislation upon the subject, even to the extent of an exemption clause. I here insert that part of my argument before the Committee which deals with this point. This argument is enlarged somewhat, upon what is given in the official hearing, but no change is made from the position there taken. Senator Blair—Is there any other point you would wish to present? Mr. Jones—There is another point, and that is, that we will be sufferers under such a law when it is passed. They propose to put in an exemption clause. Some of them favor an exemption clause, but it would not in the least degree check our opposition to the law if forty exemption clauses were put in, unless, indeed, they should insert a clause exempting everybody who does not want to keep it. In that case, we might not object so much. Senator Blair—You care not whether it is put in or not? Mr. Jones—There is no right whatever in the legislation; and we will never accept an exemption clause as an equivalent to our opposition to the law. It is not to obtain relief for ourselves that we oppose the law. It is the principle of the whole subject of the legislation to which we object; and an exemption clause would not modify our objection in the least. Senator Blair—You differ from Dr. Lewis? Mr. Jones—Yes, sir; we will never accept an exemption clause, as tending in the least to modify our opposition to the law. We as firmly and as fully deny the right of the State to legislate upon the subject with an exemption clause as without. Senator Blair—There are three times as many of you as of his denomination? Mr. Jones—Yes, sir; There are nearly thirty thousand of us, and we ask for no exemption clause. We stand wholly upon the principle of the question. There should be no exemption from a just law. If the law is right, it is wrong to exempt. In 1887 Mrs. Bateham herself wrote and printed a “Letter to Seventh-day Believers,” proposing, in substance, that if we would help them to secure a Sunday law, they would exempt us from its penalties. We replied then as we reply now and always, We will not help you to put upon others what we would not have put upon ourselves. Senator Blair—You object to it? Mr. Jones—We object to the whole principle of the proposed legislation. We go to the root of the matter, and deny the right of Congress to enact it. Senator Blair—You say that the proposed exemption does not make it any better? Mr. Jones—Not a bit; because if the rightfulness of the legislation be admitted, then we admit that it is the right of a majority to say that such and such a day shall be the Sabbath or the Lord’s day, and that it shall be kept. The majorities change in civil government; the majority may change within a few years,—may change, in fact, at any election,—and then the people may say that the day which we believe should be kept must be observed, or they may say that this day shall not be kept. If we admit the propriety of the legislation, we must also admit the propriety of the legislation to the effect that a certain day shall not be kept, and it makes every man’s observance of Sunday, or otherwise, simply the football of majorities. That has been the course of religious legislation from the formation of the Papacy onward, and that is the end of religious legislation of all kinds everywhere. Senator Blair—Do you not think there is a distinction between a majority in a monarchical government, and a majority in a republican government? In a monarchical government the majority is simply one man who has power. Mr. Jones—But in a republic, when you throw this subject into civil affairs, it makes a great deal of difference. Why, sir, we would object to the passage of a law enforcing the observance of the day which we keep, and to accept an exemption clause would only be to contradict ourselves. Allow me to illustrate this: There was a time when we did not keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. While we did not keep it, we had the right not to keep it. We became convinced that we ought to keep it; and we are now doing so. We have the right to keep it. More than this, we have the right again not to keep it if we choose not to keep it. But if, while keeping it, we should consent to the State’s assumption of power to compel us to do that which we have the right to omit if we please, we would therein resign our freedom of religious faith and worship. If these people would only think, on this question, they would see that they themselves cannot afford to consent to this legislation, much less demand it. No man can ever safely consent to legislation in favor of the form of faith or worship which he himself professes. In so doing he resigns his right to profess some other form of faith if he should become convinced that that other form is nearer the truth than his own. He virtually resigns his right to think any further on the subject of religious observances, and must thenceforth accept them ready-made from the legislative power; that is, as the majority may dictate. The Sunday observers may thus give away their religious liberty if they choose; but as for us, we do not propose to do it. We are going to assert and maintain our rights. And when these give theirs away, we are going to assert their right to re-assert their rights. Another thing: An exemption clause is only a toleration clause in disguise. For us to accept it would be but to confess that all religious rights are summed up in the majority, and that we are willing to accept from them whatever religious liberty they think we ought to have. But no such confession, sir, will we ever make. To no such thing will we ever consent or submit. We are Americans, sir, and citizens of the United States, too, and we assert all the rights of American citizens. The vocabulary of American ideas known no such word as “toleration.” It asserts rights. As was said by the Senate Committee on this very subject sixty years ago, so say we:— “What other nations call religious toleration, we call religious rights. They are not exercised by virtue of governmental indulgence, but as rights, of which government cannot deprive any portion of citizens, however small. Despotic power may invade those rights, but justice still confirms them. Nor is this all that there is to be said on this point. There is another principle involved. If we should accept the exemption clause, it would not help the thing. It would be exceedingly short. Suppose an exemption clause were given. There are people who would profess to be Seventh-day Adventists for the express purpose of getting a chance to open saloons or houses of business on Sunday. Therefore, in outright self-defense, the majority would have to repeal the exemption clause. Senator Blair—Call Mrs. Bateham’s attention to that. Mr. Jones—Let me repeat it. If you give an exemption clause—it has been tried—there are reprehensible men, saloon keepers, who know they will get more traffic on Sunday than they can on Saturday, and they will profess to be Seventh-day Adventists, they will profess to be Sabbath-keepers. You cannot “go behind the returns,” you cannot look into the heart, you cannot investigate the intention, to see whether they are genuine in their profession or not. They will profess to be Sabbath-keepers, and then they will open their saloons on Sunday. Then in outright self-defense, to make your position effective, you will have to repeal that exemption clause. It will last but a little while. Senator Blair—I agree with you there. Mr. Jones—For that reason these people cannot afford to offer an exemption clause; and for the reason that it puts the majority in the power of our conscience, we deny the right to do anything of the kind. I ask the organizations represented here to think of this after this hearing is over. It will bear all the investigation they choose to give it. Senator Blair—I should like to call everybody’s attention to the point. If you need any legislation of this kind, you would better ask for legislation to carry out your purposes, and be careful that in the effort to get the assistance of the parties against you, you do not throw away the pith and substance of all for which you ask. Mr. Jones—It has been objected to this, that this supposition is only imaginary; because such characters could not be members of any Seventh-day Baptist or Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is certainly true that, so far, a saloon-keeping Seventh-day Baptist, or Seventh-day Adventist, either, is an unknown thing. But if Sunday laws are enforced with an exemption clause in favor of those who keep the seventh day, this would not be an unknown thing much longer. It is true, also, that such a man could not obtain membership in any Seventh-day Baptist or Seventh-day Adventist Church. But what is to prevent the saloon keepers from organizing Seventh-day Baptist or Seventh-day Adventist churches of their own, and for themselves? What is to prevent them, or any class of business men, from organizing their own churches, electing their own officers, and even ordaining their own pastors, and calling themselves Seventh-day Baptists or Seventh-day Adventists? There is nothing to prevent it; unless, indeed, the State itself shall take charge of all seventh-day churches, and doctrines, and attend to their organization and the admission of members. This is precisely what was done before. In the days of the New England theocracy, Massachusetts enacted a law that,— “For the time to come, no man shall be admitted to the freedom of this body politic, but such as are members of some of the churches within the limits of the same.” There were considerable numbers of men who were not members of any of the churches, and who could not be, because they were not Christians. These men then took to forming themselves into churches of their own. Then the next step for the authorities to take, and they took it, was to enact a law that,— “Forasmuch as it hath bene found by sad experience that much trouble and disturbance hath happened both to the church and civil State by the officers and members of some churches, weh have bene gathered . . . in an undue manner, . . . it is . . . ordered that . . . this Court doeth not, nor will hereafter, approve of any such companyses of men as shall henceforth be joyne in any pretended way of church fellowship, without they shall first acquaint the magistrates and elders of the greater pie of the churches in this jurisdiction, with their intencions, and have their approbucon herein.”—Emancipation of Massachusetts, pp. 28–30. By this it will be seen that the enactment of such a Sunday law, though the first step, would not be by any means the last step, and that in more directions than one. Their offer of an exemption clause is a voluntary confession that the enforcement of the law without one would be unjust; but if that exemption clause be embodied and maintained, the State is inevitably carried beyond its proper jurisdiction; and if the exemption clause is retained and not maintained in its strictness, the whole law is at once nullified. Congress would better learn wisdom from this prospect, and utterly506 refuse to have anything at all to do with the subject. The whole subject is beyond the jurisdiction of the civil power, and the civil power can do no better than to let it entirely alone. Yes, we should think it would be hard for the Sunday-law workers to get an exemption clause for a people who insist on the same rights that they themselves have. (Lesson 9, August 31, 1889.) 1. WHAT led the Saviour to leave Heaven, endure the cross, and despise the shame of coming to this world? "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2. 2. What joy will all the saved share? "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord." Matt. 25:21. 3. What will be the joy of Christ? "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Isa. 53:11. 4. In what will the saints rejoice in glory? "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." 1 Thess. 2:19, 20. 5. In the parable of the talents, what had the individuals done which led their lord to speak such words of commendation? "And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more." "He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents beside them." Matt. 25:20, 22. 6. What did the man do who had the one talent? "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine." Verse 25. 7. How did he feel because his lord asked him to invest it where it would increase? "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed." Verse 24. 8. To whom did his talents belong? "Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury." Luke 19:23. 9. How did the lord judge him? "And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow." "And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds." Verses 22, 24. 10. What was his final sentence? "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25:30. 11. What will be said to everyone who enters the kingdom of God? "And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant." Luke 19:17, first clause. 12. Can our means be so used as to bear fruit throughout eternity? "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth forever; his horn shall be exalted with honor." Ps. 112:9. 13. Is it the amount or the motive that makes the gift acceptable? "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." Matt. 10:42. 14. What things does the apostle mention, which may be so used as to insure to us eternal life? "That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. 6:18, 19. 15. What forcible illustration does Daniel give to represent the condition of those who are saved? "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." Dan. 12:3. 16. Who are illustrated by the parable of the talents? "For the kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." Matt. 25:14. 17. Is everyone responsible? and to what extent? "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey." Verse 15. 18. What period of time is referred to in the parable of the talents? "After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them." Verse 19. 19. In what way are we to lead others to Christ? "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." Matt. 5:16. CHRIST's joy will be in bringing many souls into glory (Heb. 2:10); it was for this that he became obedient unto death, and it is declared (Isa. 53:11) that "he shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied," and all who are saved will be partakers with him; to each one it will be said, "Well done, good and faithful servant;" "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:23. But Christ labored and suffered for the salvation of souls, and if we share the glory we must also share the labor and the suffering. As it is written (2 Tim. 2:12), "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." To deny Christ it is not necessary that we say in words, as did Peter, "I know not the man," but we may deny him by refusing to suffer hardship or self-denial for his sake or in his cause. To acknowledge Christ is to serve and obey him in all things, and this we cannot do without, to some extent, suffering with him. WHAT the talents are and their use have been discussed in the SIGNS in the past, numbers 25, 26 of the present volume. We briefly restate some of the evidences given at that time concerning this important parable. It is a parallel to the parable of the pounds in Luke 19. THE TIME OF ITS APPLICATION.—This is evidently the whole Christian dispensation. The man traveling into a far country (Matt. 25) and the nobleman (Luke 19) represents our Lord Jesus Christ. His going away to a far country was his ascension into Heaven after his resurrection. His return or coming again (Luke 19:15, Matt. 25:19) is his second advent. Therefore the parable covers the Christian dispensation. But as regards all other practical truth, it is of double importance as we near the end. The Lord is coming, and every talent ought to be used in his service. WHAT THE TALENTS ARE.—They are gifts bestowed by the Saviour of the world to be used in his service. This is clear from both parables. But the pounds and talents are only symbols of what these gifts really are. Paul tells us in Eph. 4:7-12 what these talents represent. They are given through the grace of Christ; they were given when Christ ascended on high; and some of these gifts are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers. 1 Cor. 12 calls these gifts "spiritual gifts" because given by the Spirit of God. Similar statements are given in Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12 and Rom. 12 name additional gifts. These gifts are wisdom, knowledge, government, exhortation, tongues, miracles, healing, interpretation of tongues, ministering, giving, or liberality. It is thus seen that all phases of work are covered by these gifts. The Lord is a generous giver. TO WHOM GIVEN.—The talents were given to "his own servants," to every one. All are therefore responsible. The gifts are given to the church. 1 Cor. 12:28. How generous the supply! Not that all will be prophets or apostles or teachers, but that all may have a part somewhere, an effectual, useful part in the blessed service of the Master. Not one single soul need be deprived of holy service; not one but what will receive from the Master one talent if he is only the Lord's own servant. This implies consecration and a recognition of the fact, on the part of the children of God, that they are bought with a price, and that they belong body and soul to Christ. They will then truly yield themselves his own bond slaves to do his service, whatever that service may be. And for that service the Master fits them by the bestowal of talents "according to their ability." They may not be able to bear the office of apostles, he makes them teachers, or he bestows wisdom to plan, or power to exhort, or those which every one nearly may possess, the blessed, humble gifts of ministry and liberality toward God. FOR WHAT PURPOSE.—The gifts are bestowed that man may increase them (1 Cor. 12:7); that they may be used "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12); and that Christ's servants may return them with interest. Matt. 25. The "work of the ministry" means for the service of God; "for the edifying of the body of Christ" means the building up of the church of Christ. Just the same as the members of the body work together in harmony for the building up of the body, so the members of Christ's body with these various gifts should work together in his service for the building up of his church, which is nothing less than the salvation of precious souls. Our Lord Jesus Christ is engaged in the same work and we are co-laborers with him. Zech. 6:12, 13. OBSERVATIONS.—What a precious thought it is that every one of the servants of God may have at least one talent, or one pound, and may use it to God's glory! It need not be buried in the earth, and it will not be if we use it in his service. How many may minister in a multitude of ways to others, how many may be liberal either of their little or much! But if these talents, and we may have but one, are neglected, God will add no more to them, and we will find ourselves with no increase at the last. To not use the talent is to bury it in the earth; it is to allow earthly things to cover it up and hide it from our eyes. Yet the one pound might have gained ten pounds. The one gift of the Spirit might have been so used that the Spirit would add to it others. And then notice the value of these gifts. They are represented, not by a denomination of money of no value, but by those of highest value, pounds and talents. A talent of gold was worth about $25,000. They are all supernatural507 gifts, heavenly bestowments, even the humblest and most ordinary. How ought we to prize them and use them! THOSE who thus labor for Christ, who use their talents for his glory, and who thereby gather souls for his kingdom, will partake of the Master's joy at last and will be glorified with him. They have labored because they loved Christ; he will glorify them because they loved him. In that kingdom without end, they shall "shine as the brightness of the firmament" (the sun) and "as the stars forever and ever." The sufferings, the toil, the burdens, of this present time "are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed in us." Notes on the International Lesson.
By J. W. Scoles
THE repentance and sorrow which Saul manifested when Samuel told him the Lord had rejected him from being king was more from a desire to be honored by Samuel in the sight of the people than to obtain the forgiveness of God. Saul evidently had no true repentance; he did not grieve over his sin, but over his disgrace. The favor of the Lord was of less value to his mind than the esteem of the people. The sacrifice which God delights to accept is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. This is just as necessary, too, for us as it was for Saul. God loathes sin to-day as much as he ever did. SAMUEL'S sorrow was perhaps as much on account of the discouraging prospect which apparently lay before the nation, as it was on account of personal grief over the failure of Saul. His lack of faith, however, seems to have been rebuked by the Lord, who virtually told Samuel that in thus mourning for Saul he was questioning the wisdom of God. Because the instrument which God takes in hand to accomplish his work sometimes breaks and becomes worthless, let us not obtain the idea that his purposes will fail. Our faith must not be limited to our own strength or our own possibilities. Men may fail and measures may appear inadequate, to our human understanding, but the eternal years of God are sufficient for him to work out his own stupendous plans in his own omnipotent way. GRIEF, under certain circumstances, is natural and right, but is liable to be prolonged until it borders on selfishness in some instances. The best remedy for an undue manifestation of sorrow is to find some other employment for the mind. And one way in which God's mercy is shown to us, is by coming to us and setting us to work. When Elijah, in his discouragement, cast himself down under the juniper tree and wished to die, the Lord aroused him and strengthened him for his journey to Horeb, after which he commissioned him to go and anoint Hazael and Jehu. 1 Kings 19. So while Samuel was indulging in grief, the Lord called upon him to fill his horn with oil and go to Bethlehem to perform the work he had for him to do. It is a blessed privilege to be permitted to forget our own sorrows and personal disappointments in carrying forward the broader plans of God. THE Lord might have made the anointing of David more public, but this would have caused open confusion and perhaps would have stirred up national rebellion. It was not God's purpose to prematurely bring David to the kingdom in this manner, but as it was a common thing for Samuel to offer sacrifice in the ordinary exercise of his office, the Lord quietly directed him to go to Bethlehem and anoint the one whom the Lord should name to him. "And Samuel did that which the Lord spake." If we walk willingly and obediently in the paths of present duty, we may rest secure in the confidence that the future will be lighted up by the illumination of God's counsel when that future comes to us. "MAN looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Samuel, thinking perhaps, of the noble stature of Saul, saw in Eliab, Jesse's eldest son, one who would surely, at least to his mind, be a fit subject for God's favor to rest upon, but the angel of the Lord told Samuel that countenance and stature were not to be taken into consideration in the king who was now to be chosen, but rather the motives of the heart. BESIDES the inward qualifications which David possessed, there were other natural requisites which specially fitted him for the position he was to fill. Although occupied in the humble work of tending sheep, he had discharged his duties with faithfulness and courage. These had developed self-reliance and patience, and so he was afterwards called to exchange his shepherd's staff for a scepter. His subsequent sympathetic relations with the people, together with his poetic productions, show the effects of his early life of solitude and consequent communion with God and nature. FROM the time that Samuel anointed him, David seemed to have had an understanding and prudent heart. "The Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward," so that in reality he was doubly qualified for the work which lay before him. So it is that God completely equips his servants for the vocation to which he assigns them. In calling us to become connected with himself and his work to-day, the Lord is no less willing to counsel, uphold and abundantly bless us. J. W. SCOLES. The Missionary.
By L. R. CONRADI
Six weeks have passed since we arrived here from Basel, Switzerland, and we have every reason to be thankful to God for what he has accomplished for us, and to be of good courage. It took some time to provide homes for our mission family, which now numbers seventeen, and to furnish them, but we were so fortunate as to be able to secure lodgings all together, and, all things considered, we are very comfortably situated. Having all the lower story, frees us from any possible inconvenience from any other lodgers, and enables us to have our shop and depository, and also our public meetings and Bible readings, in connection with our mission rooms. In any higher story the coming in and going out of so many would be quite an objection. We felt from the start that the way to prepare the field and to get a good idea of it, would be to make a thorough canvass of the city and its surroundings, and our workers have kept faithfully at this. While canvassing is rather difficult in a city of this size, especially where there is so much infidelity as here, yet we can but rejoice at the results thus far secured. As the workers attend the training school in the morning, they can work only in the afternoon; yet 350 orders have been taken for the new book, "Eden to Eden," and over 100 delivered. Five devote their entire afternoons to the canvassing work, and others only part of the afternoons, and the rest are engaged in the Bible and ship-mission work. We can count about fifty orders a week. Our lady canvassers seem to do the best. One sister takes from fourteen to twenty orders a week. A number of good openings for Bible work have thus been found, more than we can follow up at present; and in fact we rather want to hold back with Bible work until autumn, when the season is more favorable and our school has been closed. Yet some forty readings have been held, mostly in the evenings and on Sundays, and about twenty persons are very much interested. Several have already taken a stand for the truth. About twenty attend our public Bible readings in the mission each Sunday evening. Our school commenced on June 17, with ten scholars, and we follow a similar course of instruction as in our Milwaukee (U. S. A.) German training school, with the addition of physiology and hygiene. A good degree of interest is shown, and we believe that much good will be the result. Being on the northern end of our great mission field, where nothing had been done as yet, we thought it not best to gather all our German workers, but others may join yet. Perhaps at some future time another school can be held in Southern Germany for that part of the field and German Switzerland. Most of the students are able to pay for their board and lodging, while some can cover all their expenses. Our regular Sabbath meetings commenced on May 17, and we organized a Sabbath-school with about nine members. Since then this has grown to four classes, with about twenty-three members. Then we have an interesting kindergarten, and seven attend this. In order to give all a good experience in the different branches of the work, we commenced as early as possible a tract society, and besides all of our workers, several of our new Sabbath-keepers joined it. We have also subscribed for a club of thirty Herolds besides the different periodicals used by the mission. Our society finds a great field for work in corresponding with the scattered members in Germany and Russia, and enlisting them in missionary work. We believe much good can be done in this way to develop the work in these great empires. Our ship-mission work is also getting along nicely. Thus far we have chiefly tried to get our paper files and tract distributors in the great centers of traveling. At the Seaman's Home, in connection with which is the Seaman's Office, where annually over 50,000 sailors are hired and discharged, we have our files on the large central table in their library, and we find that they are not only well taken care of by the librarian, but that many read them. At the home of traveling journeymen, where some 17,000 lodge each year, we have the same privilege. Several have visited us already and desired more reading matter, and the young man in charge seems much interested and has bought several of our pamphlets. Then we have our publications in the leading emigrant houses. Our depository being located right across from the post-office, it attracts considerable attention, and as the canvassing work prospers and the truth advances in Germany, we see no reason why this should not be self-supporting,12 and at the same time help to disseminate light and truth. All included, we have sold about $155 worth of books the first four weeks. We were all rejoiced recently to have Brother Haskell with us, and his words of cheer and timely counsels were a great encouragement and benefit to us all. Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we see souls embracing the truth. As we look over the great white harvest-field we can but ask our dear brethren everywhere to join with us in the prayer that the Lord may send forth laborers to proclaim the truth in these different countries. Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 1889. ON TEASING.
By Eleanor A. Hunter
It seems to me that one of the most annoying traits of character which one can possess is a disposition to tease, for when that disposition is freely indulged there is nothing that can cause more unhappiness to others. To be obliged to spend one's life with an inveterate tease, is like living in a bramble bush, or suffering constantly from the torture of innumerable pin-pricks. To be sure one pin-prick is nothing much, but when one has to bear ten thousand of them it is quite another matter. "Pshaw!" says the tease, "I did not hurt you any. I wouldn't make such a fuss about nothing. I did not mean anything. I was only teasing." Exactly. And it is just because there is no meaning in it, nor necessity for it, because it is only "teasing," that poor, tormented, insulted human nature cries out sometimes in a passion against it. If the tease cannot find anything else to annoy, he will torment an animal or a little child, and he thinks it is fun; but it is the most malicious, most dreadful, and most dangerous fun in this world. I once knew a lady who was literally almost frightened to death by a miserable man who followed her home through the twilight; she reached shelter, and dropped fainting upon the floor, and the thoughtless fellow who occasioned the distress explained that "he just followed her to tease her, because he knew she was timid, and he did it just for fun." He found that it was not so funny as he waited while she hovered between life and death, the victim of his wretched joke. I think that a genuine tease is always a coward, for he never attacks his equals; his victims are the helpless animal, the little child, and the timid woman. If you will notice, it is never the smallest boy who teases the larger one. And then a tease can never bear to be teased himself. Nothing makes him angrier than to be paid back in his own coin. But really, the most distressing thing about the whole matter, is the effect which the habit of teasing has upon the nature of the one who indulges in it. A confirmed tease becomes positively heartless. He can look upon mental or physical distress quite unmoved. If there is a boy who reads these lines, who likes to tease his little sister until she runs in tears to her mother, or who torments some little fellow at school just to see him flush crimson and bristle with impotent rage; if you want to make a man of yourself, stop it. For it is a most ignoble and unmanly thing to take delight in causing pain to any living creature, especially if it is smaller and weaker than yourself.—Eleanor A. Hunter, in Christian at Work. THE CAMEL'S HUMP.
By Grant Allen
STRUCTURALLY, of course, the humps are nothing—mere lumps of fat, collected under a convenient fold of the skin, and utterly unprovided for in the frame-work of the skeleton. When the animal is at its best and well fed, they are full and plump, standing up on his back firm and upright; but on a long journey they are gradually absorbed to keep up the fires that work the heart and legs, and in the caravan camels which arrive at the coast the skin hangs over, an empty bag, upon the creature's flanks, bearing witness to the scarcity of external food during the long, forced march from the interior. A starved, small camel in this state of health far more closely resembles a Peruvian llama than anyone who has only seen the fine, well-kept beasts in European menageries or zoological gardens, could readily imagine. But water is even scantier in the desert than food; and against want of water, therefore, the camel has had to provide himself, functually at least, if not structurally, quite as much as against want of herbage. His stomach has accordingly acquired the power of acting as an internal reservoir, and he can take in as much water at the bahrs or wadys, where he rests for awhile on his toil-some march, as will supply his needs for four or five days together. There are some differences in this respect, however, between the two chief varieties of camel. The African kind is most abstemious and best adapted to sandy deserts; the Bactrian, a product of a more varied and better-watered country, is larger and stronger, but less patient of hunger and thirst, while at the same time it can manage to subsist, and to make its way into a somewhat rockier and more rugged country. —Grant Allen, in Popular Science Monthly. If you have a kind word, say it;
Throbbing hearts soon sink to rest.
If you owe a kindness, pay it;
Life's sun hurries to the west. Can you do a kind deed? Do it,
From despair a soul to save;
Bless each day as you pass through it,
Marching onward to the grave. If some grand thing for to-morrow
You are dreaming, do it now;
From the future do not borrow;
Frost soon gathers on the brow. Speak thy word, perform thy duty;
Night is coming deep with rest;
Stars will gleam in fadeless beauty,
Grasses whisper o'er thy breast. Days for deeds are few, my brother;
Then to-day fulfill thy vow.
If you mean to help another,
Do not dream it—do it now.