—There are over 2,400 miles of railroad in California.
—Sweden published during the year 1877, 1,044 new books.
—A Chinese lawyer was recently admitted to the bar in London.
—Cannibalism has become very prevalent in the famine-stricken districts of India.
—Total value of silk manufactured in the United States, last year was $25,593,103.
—Investigation shows that nearly all the public buildings in Washington are as liable to a destructive fire as was the Patent Office. Only one of them has a fire-proof roof.
—It is stated that New England has in her savings banks the enormous amount of $750,000,000.
—The income of Baron Rothschild, who is at the head of the Vienna banking-house, is $80,000 per day.
—It is estimated that the cost of the Paris Exposition of 1878 will be 35,313,000 francs, or about $7,062,600.
—The steamer Knapton Hall, from London, has been sunk at sea by a collision. Twelve lives were lost.
—There are over 3,000 vacant houses in San Francisco, and yet new buildings are going up on nearly every block.
—The empress of Japan has given $5,000 towards the establishment of a school to prepare young woman as teachers.
—It is reported that all the sick at Fernandina are improving, and business is resumed.
—A destructive hurricane recently occurred at Caracao, Cuba, which caused very large loss of both life and property.
—It is stated that Utah surpasses any of the States in the production of lead, having produced about three-fourths of the refined supply last year.
—The whole sum required has been secured for the transportation and erection in New York city of the Egyptian obelisk now standing at Alexandria.
—Forty persons in Camden, Me., were seriously, though not fatally, poisoned recently, by drinking milk that had stood for some time in porcelain-lined jars.
—The cholera is in Japan and the San Francisco journals think that the metropolis of California had better look to her quarantine, or we may have a touch of it on this coast.
—It is reported that Clintonville, New York, is devastated with smallpox. Twenty-six persons having died within the past few days. Travelers are prohibited entering the place. All highways are blocked.
—Within ten years no less than 12,000,000 acres of forest have been cut down or burned over in the United States. Much of the timber is used for fuel, twenty-five cities being on record as consuming from 5,000 to 10,000 acres each.
—In addition to the home production, opium is imported into China to the annual value of over $40,000,000, principally from British India. More than $100,000,000 worth is annually imported into California for the use of the Chinese in this State.
—The library of the University of California numbers now 14,000 volumes, 2,198 of which have been added during the past two years. The donations of books to the main library in the last two years have been 527; to the circulating library, 398.
—The potato crop of England is a complete failure, the tubers having been suddenly attacked with a malignant rot, which in almost a single day converts sound and healthy ones into a mass of putridity. It is with difficulty that enough can be saved for seed.
—The New York Sun says: “The grain crop of the United States this autumn is a vast increase over that of any preceding year in the history of the country. It amounts in the two principal cereals—wheat and corn to 325,000,000 bushels of the former, and 1,280,000,000 bushels of the latter, according to the carefully prepared estimates of Walker, the statistician of the New York Produce Exchange.”
Be Patient.
Be patient with your friends. They are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. They cannot see your heart and may misunderstand you. They cannot know what is best for you, and may select what is worst. Their arms are short, and they may not be able to reach what you ask. What if also they lack purity of purpose and tenacity of affection; do not you also lack these graces? Patience is your refuge. Endure, and in enduring conquer them, and if not them, then, at least, yourself.
Be patient with your pains and cares. These things are killed by enduring them, and made strong to bite and sting by feeding them with your frets and fears. There is no pain or care that can last long. None of them shall enter the city of God.
Be patient with your deferred hopes. All that is worth hoping for will come to the Christian. The hope itself is put in peril by the impatience that weakens and prostrates your strength. Here also you have no better resource than patience. Clad in patience, you walk in an invisible armor, against which temptations to repine and murmur fall harmless. Put on patience against your hungry hope.
Be patient with yourself. You are full of faults, and your life abounds in blunders. Do not lash yourself sore with self-debasement. Some confidence in yourself is needful to your success. A servant who is always scolded and flogged will end in utter worthlessness. You are your own servant, and ought to be a severe master but not a tyrant in your own house. But worse than tyranny is capricious treatment of yourself. To-day you call this servant a dear and perfect one; to-morrow you upbraid him. Be patient with him.
Be patient with God. It seems almost irreverent to counsel you so. And yet, you know that even against God you have cried out in your impatience. Your garden did not bloom in season or bear fruit in abundance, and in your heart you said, “God will never reward me according to my works. He has flowers for others and fruit even for the ungodly, but me he leaves in want. When shall my turn come?” Be patient. He has one time and you have another. Your time is when you desire; his time is when you can use. He sees your day of real want; you see only the hour of capricious wishes. For him and for you there is abundance of time. His years shall not fail; nor will yours. You can afford to wait. Be patient.—Sel.
Lessons from the Seed Parables
CO-WORKERS in Christ! be content to sow little seeds for him; be patient to wait a long time for their growing; be strong to endure much opposition; be hoping, expecting sublime fruitage; these are the chief lessons of the parables of the seed and the leaves.
God Heals, the Doctor Takes the Fees
God heals, the doctor takes the fees.
RELIGIOUS NEWS AND NOTES.
—There are 2,500 missionary stations in India, and nearly 2,000 of them manned by native laborers.
—The present number of Young Men’s Christian Associations in the State of New York is eighty-nine.
—October 28 and 29 are the days set apart this year for united supplication in behalf of Sunday-schools.
—In France the number of Sunday-schools has increased since 1856, from 300 to 1,050. There are 88 in Paris, with 7,693 scholars.
—It is stated that at Honolulu a Chinese Young Men’s Christian Association is in full operation, having a Chinese president.
—A petition, containing 60,000 signatures, has been sent to Parliament from Ireland, asking that the liquor saloons be closed on Sundays in that country.
—Rev. Joseph Cook says there are 20,000 copies of Tom Paine’s “Age of Reason” distributed every two years among the factory operatives of New England.
—An exchange says: “Fifteen years ago there were only five Protestant congregations and about 400 communicants in Italy, while now there are 121 congregations, 8,000 communicants, and about 41,000 hearers.”
—The Catholic Review says: “Catholics in this land are already about as one in six. We receive accessions every day from the ranks of the Protestant sects; few, if any, of our own number now fall away from us; the immigration of the future to a great extent will be in our hands.”
—The Turks have possession of the city of Adrianople, and are hanging innocent Christians and Bulgarians. A letter from there says: “Thirty-three were hung to-day, and numbers are executed on alternate days. The most substantial and respectable men are selected, and their property confiscated. They are hung on the lamp-posts, or the sun-blinds outside shops, so that one cannot get out of sight of men dangling in the air.” This is only a specimen of the wholesale murders daily perpetrated by the Turks.
—The Pope has nearly finished the “Memoirs” on which he has been working for more than forty years. He has provided, however, that they are not to be published until ten years after he dies. He has had no aid in their preparation, except from Father Dresciani, one of the most learned of the Jesuits. Among the manuscripts to be used in the preparation of the Memoirs is the correspondence of the Pope with Charles Albert, King Victor Emanuel, Napoleon III., and Count De Cavour.
APPOINTMENTS
OAKLAND—Services at the new church, on the corner of Thirteenth and Clay streets, every Sabbath (Saturday) at 10:30 A. M., and Sunday evening at 7:30. Prayer meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:30. Sabbath-school at 9 o'clock Sabbath morning.
SAN FRANCISCO—Services at the house of worship, on Laguna street, between Tyler and McAllister, every Sabbath (Saturday, at 11 A. M., and first-day evening at 7:45. Prayer-meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:45. The Hayes Valley cars of Market street and the Lone Mountain cars of the Central R. R. cross Laguna street near the church.
California State Sabbath-School Society.
By W. N. Glenn; Alice Canfield
Pursuant to an action at the late Yountville camp-meeting, measures were taken at the State quarterly meeting held at Oakland, October 21, to organize a State Sabbath-school Society. The meeting was called to order at 11:30 A. M. W. N. Glenn was chosen chairman pro tem., and Alice Canfield, secretary. The following constitution was introduced, and after due consideration adopted:—
CONSTITUTION.
ART. I. This society shall be called the California Sabbath-school Society of Seventh-day Adventists.
ART. II. The officers of the society shall be a State superintendent, secretary, and treasurer, who shall be elected annually.
ART. III. The object of the society shall be the promotion of greater uniformity of action and efficiency in the workings of the Sabbath-schools of California.
ART. IV. The duties of the State superintendent shall be to acquaint himself with the best methods of conducting Sabbath-schools throughout the State, and to visit and assist by his advice and instruction the different schools at their request and as he may think proper.
The duties of the secretary and treasurer shall be similar to those of similar officers in other societies.
ART. V. The funds of this society shall be made up by the donations from the different schools in the State.
ART. VI. The school officers shall be a superintendent and assistant superintendent, a secretary, a treasurer, and a librarian if the school has a library.
ART. VII. Any school may join this society by adopting this Constitution, and reporting to the State secretary.
ART. VIII. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the members present at any State meeting of the society.
ART. IX. The yearly meetings of this society shall be held in connection with the State Conference meeting.
The society then proceeded to the election of officers. J. E. White was nominated and unanimously elected as State superintendent, and Alice Canfield, State secretary and treasurer.
Voted, That the society earnestly recommend the adoption of Prof. Bell's graded Question Books in the Sabbath-schools throughout the State.
E. R. Gillett suggested that something should be done to meet the traveling expenses of the State superintendent as he shall go from place to place to aid in organizing Sabbath-schools.
Voted, That the matter be referred to a committee of three; thereupon Brethren Baker, Mavity and Harmon were appointed by the chair as said committee.
Voted, That the proceedings of this meeting be furnished for publication in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The meeting was then adjourned till 4:30 P. M.
The afternoon session being called to order, the committee appointed at the morning meeting reported as follows:—
We, your committee that were appointed to devise ways and means of supplying funds for our society, would recommend that all Sabbath-schools organized under the jurisdiction of this society be requested to pay to the society ten cents per quarter for every member of the schools, the first quarter to be paid at organization, and after that to be paid to the treasurer every quarter in advance.
G. A. BAKER,
JNO. MAVITY,
WM. HARMON.
Voted, That the report be accepted and the committee discharged, after which the plans as set forth in said report were adopted.
Voted, That the society recommend the churches throughout the State to adopt the constitution, and forward their invitations as they may require the assistance of the State superintendent.
Adjourned. W. N. GLENN, Chairman.
ALICE CANFIELD, Secretary.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully,” (margin, negligently.) Jer. 48:10.
Received for the Signs.
$2.00 EACH. Levi E. Mallernee 4-32, Maria Young 4-41, Thos. A. Stott 4-41, Jacob Bezemer 4-41, Miss Artemissa Stephens 4-41, Edith Donaldson 4-36, D. C. Watson 4-35, Mrs. N. Carter 5-1, Mrs. J. D. Jordan 4-37, J. B. Sweet (8 copies) 3-45, C. H. House 5-1, Nineveh White 4-41, Mrs. E. F. Ware 4-41, Mrs. M. Lyttaker 5-1.
$1.50 EACH. T. S. Harrington 4-41, S. Van Deusen 4-41, Coriner Sursa 4-41, Hyran Kirkland 4-41, Mrs. L. P. Brooks 4-41, Cynthia J. Rennie 4-41, M. J. Nulph 4-41, Sarah M. Lowell 4-41, D. Clark 4-41, David Smith 4-41, T. M. Nell 4-41, Peter Ouderkirk 4-41.
MISCELLANEOUS. F. King $1.60 5-1; Mrs. F. McCoy 54c 4-9, “Second Coming of Christ” 2.75 5-14, Noah Hodges (20 copies) 10.65, 4-6, W. P. Friend 75c 4-16, John Confer 75c 4-16, Charles Osborn (4 copies) 1.00 3-45.
Received on Account.
I. D. Van Horn $646.40.
White Family Church Tour
Elder and Mrs. White, Miss M. L. Clough and Mrs. L. M. Hall left Oakland, Monday the 22d, for a tour among the churches in the Sonoma and Russian river valleys. Elder White's health is steadily improving.
Salem, Oregon.
By John Norton Loughborough
Our steamer, Geo. W. Elder, left her dock in San Francisco at 5:30 P. M. of October 9, and in about ten minutes was drifted by the heavy tide against the booms of two schooners, doing our ship some damage. The ship returned to her moorings where she remained until 6 A. M., of the 10th. I was informed that it took from three to four days to get to Portland, so I did not expect to reach my appointment at Salem in season. Contrary to expectations of captain and crew we made a very rapid and favorable trip reaching Portland sixty-seven hours from the time we left San Francisco.
I reached Salem on the 13th, thirty minutes after the hour of my first appointment. Brother Van Horn was speaking to a full house on the subject of love to God and man. After the discourse a brother was baptized and united with the church. At 3 P. M. the ordinances were celebrated in this church for the first time. It was a blessed occasion. We were gratified to meet some fifty Sabbath-keepers together from the churches of Salem and Eola, a point some five miles distant. We have had interesting meetings both in the preaching and business matters considered. All are looking forward with interest to the formation of a Conference in this North Pacific mission. These Sabbath-keepers, only about one year in the faith, seem desirous to move in harmony with the body of God's people. To learn duty and do it in the fear of the Lord. One more was baptized on Sunday.
Our people are occupying a neat little church which they rent from the Methodist society. The work here is not finished by any means, as there are many who listen, and look with favor on our cause and the truth.
5. The earth, cursed for sin, will be redeemed. Gen. iii, 17, 18; Eph. i, 13, 14; 2 Pet. iii, 13; Isa. lxv, 17, 18; Rev. xxi, 1. It will be seen by former reference that the saints will be taken up to heaven at Christ’s second coming, and that the earth will be desolate—without an inhabitant. We find in the Scriptures but one time for the removing of all the inhabitants of the earth, viz., at the second advent, when the wicked are all destroyed, and the saints caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. From this point, a period of 1000 years is measured off before the resurrection of the wicked, which is the period that the saints remain in the city above, until the time of the renewing of the earth for their eternal abode, which cannot take place until after the second resurrection.
The reader is referred to a pamphlet entitled “The Saints’ Inheritance, or the Earth Made New,” for sale at the Office of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Texas.
ELDER KILGORE writes from Peoria: “The interest here is still all we could ask. Many were very much prejudiced at first, some of whom are now keeping the Sabbath. Last night after I entered the desk a letter was handed me, which notified me that if I did not leave the place within twenty-four hours I would be killed; that I must take all with me or suffer the consequences; and that I must leave the State also. After preaching a very pointed discourse on the Sabbath in prophecy, I read the note before the crowd, and stated that if the people who were attending these meetings were desirous to hear more, and were not willing that I should leave, I would not obey the order. A prominent citizen called for all who were in favor of Brother Kilgore’s remaining and preaching to them to stand on their feet, when the whole congregation simultaneously rose up. The indignation of the better class of society was great. It is now 3 P. M., Monday, and I am still alive and at my post.”
Be Ready for Work.
By W. N. C.
Those who contemplate taking hold of the Almanac work should be laying their plans and getting ready. The books will be ready in about two weeks, and there should be no delay in placing them before the public. With an early start, this, like all other branches of the work at present, will no doubt exceed general expectation. The title of the work has been changed to “Annual,” instead of “Almanac,” as heretofore. W. N. C.
Too Anxious to Reap.
An over-anxiety to see the result of their labor, is a prevailing weakness of the professional ministry of our day. They seem to forget that sowing is the peculiar business of Christ’s ministers; and though a Paul may plant and Apollos may water, God must give the increase. Any increase gathered in any other way is not legitimate fruit—it is, to say the least, premature and unripe. “Sow thy seed in the morning, and in the evening withhold not thy hand”—no part of the day set apart for reaping. Men are too anxious to manifest great results of their labors—too anxious to number their host and thereby measure their strength and importance; so much so that they do not scruple to “gather where they have not sown,” and place the gatherings to their own credit. Better be patient, content in the humble calling of a sower, foregoing the praises and titles of men, bestowed upon those apparently the most successful. If the sower labors faithfully, and sows only the pure seed, it is none of his business about the result. He is not even responsible for the kind of ground it falls upon—whether by the wayside, in stony places, among thorns, or upon good ground—his reward is the same. Paul no doubt did his duty just as faithfully and acceptably when he preached without apparent result to the idle and curious Athenians as when he gathered a promising church at Corinth. God has only given the seed of the word into the hands of his ministers; he has never intrusted them with the sickle. “The harvest is the end of the world,” when God will “send forth his reapers.” —The Nazarene.
The Lemoore Encampment
The Seventh-day Adventist encampment at Lemoore was the best ordered arrangement of the kind ever seen in the State. The tents were all new, and there being a large number of them arranged in the form of a crescent around the pavilion, the effect was picturesque. The grassy plot set off the white tents to advantage. Arches trimmed with colored cloth with mottoes over them formed the entrance, and marshals were in attendance to keep order and wait on the people. Order, the first law, was visible through all the details. Twenty-nine converts were baptized on Monday, and the encampment broke up on Tuesday. Mr. Healey who had the tent in Visalia last year, was one of the speakers. He seems to have fully recovered his health. Mr. Church, of Fresno, was also among the exhorters. The attendance on Sunday was very large.—Visalia Delta.
Continued Repentance
The promises in the Bible are not made to one act, but to the continued habit of prayer. It evinces more depravity not to repent of a sin than it does to commit it at first. A good man may be hurried away by temptation to commit a sin; but he will invariably repent of it afterward. To deny, as Peter did, is bad; but not to weep bitterly, as he did, when we have denied, is worse. One mark of a true convert is that he continues to repent of his sins after he hopes that they are pardoned. The true Christian desires to be saved from sin. And his hatred of sin, and repentance for it, increase in proportion as his assurance of heaven increases.