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Signs of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 6.

General Articles
Earlier text: The Promises to Israel

Drunkards' Wives.

By Anvil

If there be a lonely woman amid the multitude of lone and sorrowful women more to be pitied than another, I think that it is a wife looking upon the one she has promised to honor, lying upon the bed with his hat and boots on. Her comforter who swore at her as long as he could speak at all. Her protector, utterly unable to brush a fly from his face. Her companion, lying in the stupor of death, with none of its solemn dignity. As he is entirely unconscious, I wonder if she never employs the slowly passing moments in taking down her old idol, her ideal, from its place in her memory, and comparing it with the broken and defaced image before her. Of all poor, broken idols, scattered into fragments for the divine patience of womanhood to gather together and cement with tears, such a ruin as this seems the most impossible to mold anew into any form of comeliness. And if there is a commandment seemingly impossible to obey, it is for a woman to love a man of whom she is in deadly fear, obey a man who can't speak his commands intelligently.
The theory of recognizing our friends in a future world is a beautiful one, and worthy of much thought, but I think it is commendable to try to keep them in a condition to recognize us in this world, try to keep a man while he is alive so he will know his wife and children, and not, as often occurs, turn them out into the storm of a winter midnight, or murder them in his frenzy.—Anvil.

The Missionary.

State Quarterly Meeting.

The quarterly meeting of the California Tract and Missionary Society was held at Healdsburg, January 29, 1882. The meeting was called to order at 9 A. M. The directors present were Wm. Saunders of District No. 5, E. J. Waggoner of District No. 7, and Elder M. C. Israel of District No. 8.
Prayer was offered by Eld. J. H. Waggoner. A report of the workings of the society for the previous quarter was read; also the report of labor for the quarter just ended, which is as follows:—

District Mission Report

Districts. No. of Members No. Reports Returned No. of Members Added No. of Families Visited No. of Letters Written No. Signs taken in Clubs New Subscribers Obtained.
Review SIGNS Good Health Instructor Other Periodicals
No. 1 96 38 1 63 77 89 3 4 10 2 1
“ 2 93 1 77 11 156 2 2
“ 3 64 50 5 637 104
“ 4 16 7 32 1 15
“ 5 107 56 1 58 150 214 6 9 1 2 2
“ 6 24 7 9 18 29 2 2 2 1
“ 7 117 30 2 151 196 516 3 13 73 23 1
“ 8 75 50 2 212 89 182 5 85 3 10 16
“ 9 17 10
Ships. 132 50
Total.. 609 239 6 712 1178 1382 17 115 92 52 21
Districts No. of Pages of Reading Matter Distributed Periodicals Distributed Annuals Sold and given away Donations to Tract Fund and for Membership Cash Received
Sales Periodicals Total
No. 1.... 21732 1203 55 $ 20 00 $ 2 00 $22 00
“ 2.... 7754 89 17 50 17 50
“ 3.... 4369 3574
“ 4.... 1184 152
“ 5.... 15380 1951 9 10 00 2 65 40 87 53 52
“ 6.... 16074 486 4 50 4 50
“ 7.... 65084 3625 34 10 34 10
“ 8.... 45278 2063 7 90 39 70 47 60
“ 9....
Ships.... 38757 5850
Total.... 215612 18993 64 $122 00 $2 65 $104 57 $229 22

San Diego County.

By W. M. Healey

I HAVE spent the past four weeks in this county. In San Pasqual Valley thirty-five miles northeast of San Diego, we have a church of fifteen members; and scattered through the county we find about as many more professed commandment keepers. About one-half of them hold membership in churches outside of this county. We visited a settlement twelve miles from San Pasqual and preached twice, with a good and attentive audience. We feel that the work ought to be followed up in that place and intend to visit them again this week.
We visited a Sabbath-keeping family fifty miles from here, who had never heard a sermon. We spent a few days with them, and on Sunday went with them to Potrero Valley, seven miles distant, and much of the way through the snow, where about half a dozen families live, and all turned out to listen to the preaching. About forty persons were present, and several of them urged us to return and hold more meetings with them. I felt sad as I bade them good-bye, and thought, will these souls ever have an opportunity to hear these all-important truths?
There are few places in the county where a very large audience can be gathered, and perhaps no place outside of San Diego City where a tent is needed. But scattered here and there through the mountains are honest and intelligent families to whom the last message would be as precious as to any of us.
Where are the reapers to wield “the sickle of truth” till all the wheat has been garnered in? All things indicate the end is near and shall it be said of all of us, “Well done”?
W. M. HEALEY.
Bernardo, California, January 29, 1882.

Among the Churches.

By Ellen G. White

NAPA.

Journeying southward from St. Helena, I next visited Napa. Here Eld. Van Horn had been holding a series of meetings, with some results. On the Sabbath I spoke to the church on the duty of parents to educate, discipline, and restrain their children. There is a sad neglect of this work among those who profess the truth in Napa. I felt deeply the need of a work of reformation in this church, and invited all to come forward who desired that day to become for the first time children of God, and also all who had departed from him and now wished to return. About twenty responded. Earnest prayer was offered in their behalf. Those in Napa who believe in present truth will receive but little favor from members of other churches who trample under their feet the law of God. Only those who make it an individual work to secure eternal life will remain steadfast to the faith.
On Sunday I spoke to the Methodist Church, upon the subject of temperance. After the discourse the minister expressed his gratification at what he had heard, and said that some of the ideas advanced were new to him. He thought we had found the right starting-point in commencing the work of temperance at home, and that mothers should be aroused to see and feel their responsibility. Many expressed a desire that I would address them again Sunday evening; but fearing that the effort would overtax my strength, I spoke instead Monday evening, on the duty of parents.
On this occasion I dwelt particularly upon the evils resulting from parental neglect. Notwithstanding our boasted advancement in education, the training of children is sadly defective. For this state of things, must not mothers to some extent be held responsible? Are they not generally the willing servants of worldliness and fashion? Are not even those who profess to have renounced the vanities of the world, influenced to a great degree by its customs? It is too true that mothers are not standing at their post of duty, faithful to their motherhood. God requires of us nothing that we cannot in his strength perform; nothing that is not for our own good and the good of our children. He does not call woman to engage in any work that will lead her to neglect the physical, mental, and moral training of her own children. She may not shift this responsibility upon others, and leave them to do her work.
Before individuals take upon themselves the great responsibility of parents, they should consider whether they are fitted to properly train and educate children. Those who fill their houses with children, whom they have neither patience to instruct nor wisdom to control, are thereby not only bringing a burden upon society, but are committing a sin against their offspring and against God. The Lord would have parents obey the dictates of reason, rather than the clamors of impulse and blind passion. They should learn to control themselves, and then they are prepared to control their sons and daughters.
Children require patient, faithful care. It is not enough for the mother to feed and clothe her little ones. She must also seek to develop their mental powers, and to imbue their hearts with right principles. They should be taught that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Christ should be associated with all the lessons given to children. But how sadly is the highest education neglected! Beauty of character, loveliness of temper, are lost sight of in the eager interest in dress and outward appearance.
The mother should not be governed by the world's opinion, nor labor to reach its standard. She should decide for herself what is the great end and aim of life, and then bend all her efforts to attain that end. She may, for want of time, neglect many things about her house, with no serious evil results; but she cannot with impunity neglect the proper discipline of her children. Their defective characters will publish her unfaithfulness. The evils which she permits to pass uncorrected, the coarse, rough manners, the disrespect and disobedience, the habits of idleness and inattention, will reflect dishonor upon her, and embitter her life. Mothers, the destiny of your children rests to a great extent in your hands. If you fail in duty, you may place them in Satan's ranks, and make them his agents to ruin other souls. Or your faithful discipline and godly example may lead them to Christ, and they in turn will influence others, and thus many souls may be saved through your instrumentality. I have heard mothers say that they have not the ability to govern which others have; that it is a peculiar talent which they do not possess. Those who realize their deficiency in a matter which concerns the happiness and usefulness of future generations, should make the subject of family government their most diligent study. As an objection to this, many point to the children of ministers, teachers, and other men of high repute for learning and piety, and urge that if these men, with their superior advantages, fail in family government, those who are less favorably situated need not hope to succeed. The question to be settled is, Have these men given to their children that which is their right—a good example, ample, faithful instruction, and proper restraint? It is by a neglect of these essentials that such parents give to society children who are unbalanced in mind, impatient of restraint, and ignorant of the duties of practical life. In this they are doing the world an injury which outweighs all the good that their labors accomplish. Those children transmit their own perversity of character as an inheritance to their offspring, and at the same time their evil example and influence corrupt society and make havoc in the church. We cannot think that any man, however great his ability and usefulness, is best serving God or the world while his time is given to other pursuits, to the neglect of his own children. Parents, when you have faithfully done your duty, to the extent of your ability, you may then in faith ask the Lord to do that for your children which you cannot do. But if you attempt to govern without exercising self-control, without system, thought, and prayer, you will most assuredly reap the bitter consequence.
The study of books will be of little benefit, unless the ideas gained can be carried out in practical life. And yet the most valuable suggestions of others should not be adopted without thought and discrimination. They may not be equally adapted to the circumstances of every mother, or to the peculiar disposition or temperament of each child in the family. Let the mother study with care the experience of others, note the difference between their methods and her own, and carefully test those that appear to be of real value. If one mode of discipline does not produce the desired results, let another plan be tried, the effects being carefully noted. Mothers, above all others, should accustom themselves to thought and investigation if they would increase in wisdom and efficiency. Those who persevere in this course, will soon perceive that they are acquiring the faculty in which they thought themselves deficient; they are learning to form aright the characters of their children. The result of labor and thought given to this work will be seen in their obedience, their simplicity, their modesty and purity. This result will richly repay all the effort made.
God would have mothers seek constantly to improve both the mind and the heart. They should feel that they have a work to do for him in the education and training of their children, and the more perfectly they can improve their own powers, the more efficient they will become in their work as parents.
Wherever I go, I am pained by the neglect of proper home discipline and restraint. Little children are allowed to answer back, to manifest disrespect and impertinence, using language that no child should ever be permitted to address to its superiors. Parents who permit the use of unbecoming language are more worthy of blame than their children. Impertinence should not be tolerated in a child even once. But fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts and grandparents laugh at the exhibition of passion in the little creature of a year old. Its imperfect utterance of disrespect, its childish stubbornness, are thought cunning. Thus wrong habits are confirmed, and the child grows up to be an object of dislike to all around him.
As children advance in years, and go out from the parental roof to choose their own associates, they often become careless of home rules and family discipline. They come to their father's house when they choose, but by their disrespect they dishonor their parents at home and abroad. These youth have so long been permitted to say what they please, and go and come when they like, that they have little respect for man, or reverence for God. Human rights are disregarded, and the divine law set aside at pleasure. Parents who tolerate the sin of disrespect in their children are themselves dishonoring God by such a course. Obligations are mutual. It is the duty of fathers and mothers to care for their children, but when the latter refuse to respect parental authority and to observe the rules of the family, they should be left to bear their own burdens in life. Parents cannot enjoy the favor of God while they permit their children to trample upon his law. Angels will not abide in the house where strife exists, where God's name is blasphemed, and his authority defied.
Parents, you should early begin to teach your children respect, obedience, and self-control. Every exhibition of passion that is not firmly and decidedly checked is a lesson of evil to your children. Your neglect of proper restraint opens the door to Satan, and invites him to control them. This he will not be slow to do.
Let mothers be careful not to make unnecessary requirements to exhibit their own authority before others. Give few commands, but see that these are obeyed. Give children but little notice. Let them learn to amuse themselves. Do not put them on exhibition before visitors as prodigies of wit or wisdom, but leave them as far as possible to the simplicity of their childhood. One great reason why so many children are forward, bold, and impertinent, they are noticed and praised too much, and their smart, sharp sayings repeated in their hearing. Endeavor not to censure unduly, nor to overwhelm with praise and flattery. Satan will all too soon sow evil seed in their young hearts, and you should not aid him in his work.
Children must have constant care, but you need not let them see that you are ever guarding them. Learn the disposition of each as revealed in their association with one another, and then seek to correct their faults by encouraging opposite traits. Children should be taught that the development of both the mental and the physical powers rests with themselves; it is the result of effort. They should early learn that happiness is not found in selfish gratification; it follows only in the wake of duty. At the same time the mother should seek to make her children happy. She should give them the time and attention which they really need. Let not visitors be permitted to engross the precious hours that belong to her own dear ones.
Unsteadiness in family government is productive of great harm; in fact is nearly as bad as no government at all. The question is often asked, Why are the children of religious parents so often headstrong, defiant, and rebellious? The reason is to be found in the home training. Too often the parents are not united in their family government. The father, who is with his children but little, and has little knowledge of their peculiarities of disposition and temperament, is harsh and severe. He does not control his own temper. He corrects in passion, and with a revengeful, vindictive spirit. The child knows this, and the punishment given fills him with anger. He is not subdued. He comes to feel neither love nor respect for his father. Thus are sown seeds of evil that spring up and bear fruit. The mother often allows misdemeanors to pass uncorrected which at another time, when she is more attentive, she will severely punish. The children never know just what to expect, and are tempted by Satan to see how far they can transgress with impunity. The father and mother should be united in their government. They should study with care the disposition of their children, and together seek wisdom and strength from God to deal with them aright.
Great harm is done by a lack of firmness and decision. I have known parents to say, You cannot have this or that, and then relent, thinking they may be too strict, and give the child the very thing they at first refused. A life-long injury is thus inflicted. It is an important law of the mind—one which should not be overlooked—that when a desired object is so firmly denied as to remove all hope, the mind will soon cease to long for it, and will be occupied in other pursuits. But as long as there is any hope of gaining the desired object, an effort will be made to obtain it, and a denial will arouse the worst passions.
When it is necessary for parents to give a direct command, the penalty of disobedience should be as unvarying as are the laws of nature. Children who are under this firm, decisive rule, know that when a thing is forbidden or denied, no teasing or artifice will secure their object. Hence they soon learn to submit, and are much happier in so doing. The children of undecided and over-indulgent parents have a constant hope that coaxing, crying, or sullenness may gain their object, or that they may venture to disobey without suffering the penalty. Thus they are kept in a state of desire, hope, and uncertainty, which makes them restless, irritable, and insubordinate. God holds such parents guilty of wrecking the happiness of their children. This wicked mismanagement is the key to the impenitence and irreligion of thousands. It has proved the ruin of many who have professed the Christian name. The restless, rebellious spirit, unsubdued in youth, creates disturbance in the church of Christ. Many of the so-called church trials may be traced to defective family government. Intemperance and crime of every degree are often the fruit from seed sown by the parents.
Let none imagine, however, that harshness or severity are necessary to secure obedience, or that a boisterous, commanding tone is proof of authority. On the contrary, I have seen the most efficient and constant family government maintained without one harsh word or look. In other families, commands were constantly given in an authoritative tone, and harsh rebukes, and severe punishments were often administered. In the first case the children followed the course pursued by the parents, and seldom spoke in harsh tones to each other. In the second, the parental example was imitated by the children; cross words, fault-finding, disputes, were heard from morning till night.
Fathers and mothers, you are teachers; your children are the pupils. The tones of your voice, your deportment, your spirit, are copied by your children. In the fear of God, seek to know and to do your duty. Take up your God-given responsibilities, and work for time and for eternity. MRS. E. G. WHITE.

That Dana Family.

By Saw-Mill Chat, in National Baptist

STIMPSON, the postmaster, was expatiating on the wonderful use that might be made of the newspaper as an educator. Some one joked him, saying it was because he was postmaster, and he wanted to magnify his office and increase the sale of stamps.
Jericho Jones came to Stimpson's support. "Stimpson's right;" said he. "It is surprising what may be got out of a good newspaper, providing a man knows how to use it. It is like the magician's bottle which gives out seven different kinds of drink, and none of them harmful either. I know a case in point. There's that Dana family down on the Ohio River. Just now they own the finest farm in that whole region. The family are remarkable. There are three sons and two daughters. I have stopped there often over night on my commercial agency. I know all about them. George, the oldest, is now twenty-two. He is well educated, and can make a good speech, and has been called on to speak at county fairs, and sometimes fills a pulpit on Sunday. Bob, the second one, has developed a fine literary talent, and has in him the making of a fine writer. Sam, the youngest, has a turn for natural science; and, boy though he is, people from all around the country come to him to get recipes and prescriptions for all manner of useful appliances and remedies needed on a farm. As Sam has never been away from home, they wonder how he got so much information. The two girls, Mary and Harriet, are not a whit behind the boys in their departments. They are such splendid housekeepers; and then they are so well informed on all miscellaneous subjects that they are head and shoulders above all the other girls up and down that whole region.
"And how did it all happen? There were no good schools in the neighborhood when they came there, although there are now. The story is simple enough. I have heard the father tell it. Years ago he lost a fine farm near Pittsburg by going security for a false friend. They came down where they now are, and bought a narrow strip of cheap land alongside the farm they now own, on credit. The father managed to keep one good cow, and then he subscribed for the best family newspaper that he knew of. The cow was to furnish milk for his children, and the newspaper was to furnish some food for their understanding; as the father said to me with a laugh, 'after having lost my other farm, I started to bring up my family of five children on a cow and a newspaper.'
"And the father did it well. Here's the way he went about it. In the long evenings, first of all, he started a rousing fire in the big kitchen. They had their plain supper of milk and mush, and a few odds and ends. Then they had two good lamps lit. Whatever else they did without, the father said they must have a good fire and good light to make home cheery for the children. Then the father would get the newspaper and read. He was a very intelligent man; and he would stop and explain things and tell anecdotes as he went along. This gained the attention of the children. Then he and the mother would often discuss things that were in the papers, and often get the children to discuss the merits of different questions in their juvenile way. It was surprising what interest the children soon took in the newspaper. After a time, departments of the newspaper were assigned to each one. All the political and foreign news were assigned to George. He was to read them and to give a summary for the benefit of the rest. Sometimes the father got him on the floor, and got him to tell off in his own language the leading ideas of some fine editorial. That's what made George a speaker. Bob had all the book notices assigned to him. He told the contents of the books as reported in the newspaper notice of them. The father added all the information he had on each subject as it was brought up. In after years when they got in better circumstances, the best of these books were sent for; and now that old farm-house, has not a large, but one of the choicest libraries in the county. Besides, Bob soon found the way to get other books; and now he is preparing to write book-reviews for himself.
"Sam had the scientific department and all the items about improved agriculture. One evening, it came his turn to lecture, which he sometimes did standing out on the floor, after the style of his brother George, and with a deal of mock gravity and real interest, informed the assembled family of the latest discoveries in his department. He converted a deserted smoke house into a laboratory. He tried his own experiments with the recipes in the newspaper. Some he proved to be shams. Others turned out well. Then he classified them and pasted them in a scrap book. He was an authority upon varnishes and white-wash and lotions and ointments and plasters and cements and various improvements of all kinds. "The two daughters divided up between themselves the housekeeping and the fancy articles of the newspaper. Both had a taste for decoration; and the old house from cellar to garret became ornamented with neat furnishing of their own handiwork. The household recipes they tried one after another, as they came out in the papers. Many of them were rejected after one trial. Others were found to be of value and found their way into their scrap-book. It was often said that no housekeeper in the county could put a quart of milk and a handful of meal or half a dozen eggs to as many good and varied uses as those two Dana girls. The neighbors who came there to supper at times were surprised at the elegant way in which the food was served up, and were always wondering why that Dana family should know so much more than other people."
Jericho ended his narrative with a thump of approbation. Stimpson resumed. "There it is; Jericho has proved what I said to be true. What a pity it is that all our farmers around here do not try to make their homes more cheery in winter evenings. Mr. Dana was right. He didn't spare the wood, and he didn't spare the oil. He furnished his children with good reading matter, and so he is making good men and women of them. There's a good deal, though," said Stimpson, "in knowing how to select a good newspaper, and in knowing how to read it when you get it. If a man doesn't care about reading a paper himself, he ought to take some thought for his children. The man who attempts to bring up a family of children without a good and well-read religious newspaper, does them a wrong which no amount of wealth bequeathed to them can ever atone for. Indeed, for lack of such a paper, many a legacy has proved a curse."—Saw-Mill Chat, in National Baptist.

The Home Circle.

LEARN A LITTLE EVERY DAY.

LITTLE rills make wider streamlets, Streamlets swell the river's flow; Rivers join the mountain billows, Onward, onward as they go! Life is made of smallest fragments, Shade and sunshine, work and play; So may we, with greatest profit, Learn a little every day.
Tiny seeds make boundless harvests, Drops of rain compose the showers, Seconds make the flying minutes, And the minutes make the hours. Let us hasten, then, and catch them As they pass us on the way; And with honest, true endeavor Learn a little every day.
Let us read some striking passage, Cull a verse from every page; Here a line, and there a sentence, 'Gainst the lonely time of age. At our work, or by the wayside, While the sunshine's making hay; Thus we may, by help of study, Learn a little every day.

Religious Notes.

By Editor

  • The Central Congregational Church in Brooklyn, N. Y., has fifty Chinamen among its members.
  • Rev. Enoch Pond, D. D., President of Bangor Theological Seminary, died recently, aged ninety years.
  • The London Echo states as a fact that Dean Stanley’s life was sacrificed to the bad drainage at the deanery.
  • It is reported from Walla Walla, W. T., that Judge Wingard has sustained the Sunday law, and that it will be obeyed.
  • Rev. Dr. Bellows, of New York, the famous Unitarian preacher and editor, died January 30, aged sixty-eight years.
  • The Greek Church in Russia has about 35,000 churches, beside the cathedrals, and the State contributes over three millions a year to their support.
  • The Catholic Bishop of Hongkong, China, says that the Catholic mission there took 400,000 Chinese children last year, and is bringing them up in the Catholic Church.
  • The Independent thinks it could name orthodox Christian ministers who eat oysters and smoke cigars on the “Sabbath,” and who, notwithstanding, retain their orthodoxy.
  • There are fifteen Jewish synagogues in Chicago, having congregations that aggregate about 20,000. Chicago is said to have the largest Hebrew population of any city of equal numbers in the world.
  • Prof. Robertson Smith’s claims that the Pentateuch was not written by Moses, are being sharply criticised. Many papers were lauding his learning, and his fearlessness in proclaiming his views; but now that other scholars, equally learned, have shown the entire fallacy of his deductions, they are beginning to anchor again to the old Pentateuch.
  • A correspondent of a secular paper, speaking of a church that is supported by collections, indulges in the following bit of unconscious sarcasm: “I never go to church without leaving my ten cents. I believe in paying my way.” One cannot help wondering what kind of preaching it is, for which ten cents is considered adequate compensation.
  • A Circuit Court in Kentucky has declared the State law against Sunday work unconstitutional and void as regards railroads, because it interferes with commerce, and a State may not interfere with the mails. Whereupon a religious journal remarks that the friends of the Sunday should look to Congress for redress. It thinks they ought to base their claims on the commandment of God, and not on the “demands of society,” “general custom,” etc. Herein it differs with some of our California friends. Would it not be well for the Sunday law agitators to meet together and decide upon what ground to press its claims.

News and Notes.

By Editor

—Guiteau is sentenced to be hung, June 30.
—The mint coinage for December was $10,450,000.
—A fire in a wholesale paint store in Chicago, on the 3d, caused a loss of $250,000.
—It is said that $40,000 worth of spruce chewing gum is gathered in Maine every year.
—Baldwin, the New Jersey bank defaulter, has been sentenced to the penitentiary for fifteen years.
—A mother and her two children were burned to death in their residence, at Walla Walla, W. T., February 2.
—The Jefferson school building at Washington, D. C., the finest in the city, was burned February 4. Loss, $135,000.
—Two men stopped the stage near Sonora, Cal., on the 3d, and took $286 from the express box. There were no passengers.
—There is a free library in the city of Tokio, which contains 80,000 volumes, of which 15,000 are in the European languages.
—Three flour-mills were burned at Lockport, N. Y., on the 1st. Loss $100,000. Several firemen were injured and one killed.
—A little boy at Livermore, Cal., was fatally shot by his sister, February 5, by the accidental discharge of a gun that was supposed to be unloaded.
—A woman in Philadelphia sued a street Railroad Company for damages for injuries received from standing in an over-crowded car, and was awarded $12,000.
—The Governor of Michigan has been petitioned to call an extra session of the Legislature, to provide relief for the people of the burned district. Sickness is increasing among the destitute.
—It is stated that the amount of gold which will be exported from this country as a result of the financial troubles in foreign markets, is variously estimated at from $5,000,000 to $20,000,000.
—All attempts to bolster up the Union Generale Bank in Paris, failed, and it has entirely suspended payment. The cause of the failure is speculation. The President and several of the directors have been arrested.
—Severe snow-storms are reported in the East, hindering travel. In some places the snow is three feet deep on a level. The weight of snow has crushed the roofs of buildings, causing serious damage in some cases.
—The Supreme Educational Council of Spain has given its consent to the education of women. This is a long step in advance, for there is no other country where the education of all classes is so sorely neglected.
—The chief of the fire department of San Francisco has had a large canvas with handles on all sides placed upon each wagon of the fire patrol, to be used for the purpose of catching any one who may jump from a burning building.
—The ordinance making it a misdemeanor for any person to keep or maintain, or become an inmate of, or a visitor to, any place for the practice of gambling, in San Francisco, has been declared constitutional by the Supreme Court.
—By an explosion in a coal-mine in Chesterfield County, Virginia, February 3, thirty-two men were imprisoned and suffocated. The bodies have not yet been recovered. Twenty-seven of the men were married and had large families.
—The case of the proprietors of the Oakland Opera Garden, for keeping open on Sunday, is now before the Court. The difficulty as was predicted, is in obtaining a jury. At present writing, two days have been consumed, and only seven jurors have been obtained.
—Some fellow having the instincts of a ghoul, has proposed to preserve Guiteau's corpse after his execution, and exhibit it through the country. Scoville favors it, as he hopes thereby to be paid for his trouble. Of course such an exhibition will not be allowed, and the assassin's name and carcass will perish together.
—On the morning of the 31st ult., a fire broke out in Printing-house Square, New York, doing immense damage. The office of the New York Observer was destroyed, and the foreman was lost. The Times office was nearly destroyed, and several other newspaper offices, advertising agencies, etc., were damaged. Total loss, about $1,000,000. Several lives were lost.
—The Christian Statesman quotes some paragraphs concerning the advances made in discovering the origin of certain diseases, thus making it easier to guard against them, and blasphemously remarks: "In these facts we see part of that victory over death, which the Son of man achieved for mankind, and of which a redeemed and purified world will one day be in full possession." That paper will soon have no use for the Bible. It proposes to make men Christians by legislation, and give them admission to Heaven by means of the scalpel and the microscope.
—A singular case of infatuation has just come to light in San Francisco. Miss Willis, who has been for some time engaged to some extent in visiting the prisoners in the jails, has married George C. Gottung, who has been sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary, for the murder of his wife. The ceremony was performed in his cell, within an hour after he had received his sentence. This is a natural result of the petting which murderers receive from silly women, and others idiotically inclined. Their affection is always expended on the worst criminals. Such murderous wretches should be rigidly kept from public gaze, and if they desire spiritual consolation, let them receive it from the properly-appointed ministers of the gospel.

Prove It by Mother

PROVE IT BY MOTHER.—While driving along the street one day last winter in my sleigh, a little boy six or seven years old, asked me the usual question, “Please may I ride?”
I answered him, “Yes, if you are a good boy.”
He climbed into the sleigh; and when I again asked, “Are you a good boy?” he looked up pleasantly and said, “Yes, sir.”
“Can you prove it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“By whom?”
“Why, my ma,” said he promptly.
I thought to myself, here is a lesson for boys and girls. When a child feels and knows that mother not only loves, but has confidence in him or her, and can prove their obedience, truthfulness, and honesty by mother, they are pretty safe. That boy will be a joy to his mother while she lives. She can trust him out of her sight, feeling that he will not run into evil. I do not think he will go to the saloon, the theater, or the gambling-house. Children who have praying mothers, and mothers who have children they can trust, are blessed indeed. Boys and girls, can you “prove by mother” that you are good? Try to deserve the confidence of your parents, and every one else.—Children’s Friend.

A MINE OF INFORMATION.

By John Nevins Andrews

History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week

BY ELD. J. N. ANDREWS.

THE Bible record of the Sabbath; the secular history concerning it; the successive steps by which the change to the first day was made; and the work of restoration, are given in detail.

EVERY TEXT OF SCRIPTURE

Concerning the Sabbath is commented on at length; and the

COMPLETE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS

In regard to the Sabbath and first day is given. The comparative merits of the seventh and the first day Sabbaths are fully shown. A copious index enables the reader to find the comments on any text, or the statement of any historian.
Should be read by everybody. 528 pp. Price, $1.25. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.

OUR COUNTRY'S FUTURE FORETOLD.

By Uriah Smith

THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY.

BY ELD. U. SMITH.
This is a full exposition of a portion of prophecy which applies to our own Government, showing the position the United States holds in prophecy, and the part it has to act in the closing scenes of time.

THE SUNDAY MOVEMENT,

Which is now attracting such general attention, is thoroughly canvassed; and abundant testimony is given to prove that in a few years this will be the

ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION

In this country. Facts and statistics are largely presented, showing in the most conclusive manner that this government is the one pointed out in the prophecy quoted. 200 pages. Bound, 40 cents. Paper covers, 20 cents.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.

A BOOK FOR THE TIMES.

The Religious Amendment to the Constitution:

OR THE SABBATH, THE SUNDAY, THE CHANGE AND THE RESTITUTION.
The object of the proposed Constitutional Amendment, together with the authority for it, is fully canvassed.
The views of the leaders of the parties both for and against the Amendment are fairly given in this book.
The present agitation of the Sunday Law makes this book especially interesting and instructive at this time.
Bound in cloth, 380 pp. Price, $1.00. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.
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