In taking our leave of the image, we also take leave of the terrible beast of chap. 7, in its first form; but we are brought further down on the stream of time in this latter chapter, and have some additional particulars revealed to us, which next claim our attention.
As Daniel was considering this fourth beast, he suddenly presented to his view a new phase. A little horn thrust itself up among the ten, and plucked up three of them by the roots; and it had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. When the angel explained the ten horns to be ten kings, he also explained this peculiar horn as follows: "And another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and the dividing of time." Verses 24, 25.
Has such a horn arisen? and has such a revolution taken place among the kingdoms of Europe? We answer, Yes; and again cite the reader to the page of history. Protestants all agree in applying this little horn to the Papacy; and, indeed, the specifications are so plain, that there is hardly room for mistake.
In our investigation of this horn, three points claim our consideration: 1. The events of its rise; or the plucking up of three horns. 2. Its character as shown in speaking great words against the Most High, wearing the saints, and thinking to change times and laws. And 3, its continuance, during a time, and times, and the dividing of time.
1. Were three kings overthrown to prepare the way for the Papacy, in a manner to fulfill the prophecy? To ascertain this, let us consider a few items of its rise and progress. Paul said that even in his day the mystery of iniquity was already at work. 2 Thess. 2:7. He knew the depravity of the human heart, the strength of ambition, and the intoxication that attends the possession and exercise of worldly power. And from the office of bishop, which was in his day established, and in Rome where he had preached "the salvation which cometh from God," the Papacy, the Man of sin, the Son of Perdition, at length arose.
The first pastors or bishops of Rome enjoyed a respect proportionate to the rank of the city in which they resided; and for the first few centuries of the Christian era, Rome was the largest, richest, and most powerful city in the world. It was the seat of empire, the mother of nations. "All the inhabitants of the earth belong to her," said Julian, and Claudian declared her to be "the fountain of laws." "If Rome is the queen of cities, why should not her pastor be the king of bishops," was the reasoning they adopted. "Why should not the Roman Church be the mother of all Christendom? Why should not all nations be her children, and her authority their sovereign law? It was easy for the ambitious heart of man to reason thus. Ambitious Rome did so." The bishops of the different parts of the empire felt a pleasure in yielding to the bishop of Rome some portion of that honor which was due to the queen of the world. There was originally no dependence implied in the honor thus paid. "But usurped power increases like an avalanche. Admonitions that at first simply fraternal, soon became absolute commands in the mouth of the Pontiff. The Western bishops favored this encroachment of the Roman pastors, either from jealousy of the Eastern bishops, or because they preferred submitting to the supremacy of a pope, rather than to the dominion of a temporal power."
Thus was everything tending towards placing the bishop of Rome on the supreme throne of Christendom. But in the fourth century, an opposing influence arose, in the promulgation of Arianism. The doctrine of Arius was "that the Son was totally and essentially distinct from the Father; that he was the first and the noblest of those beings whom the Father had created out of nothing, the instrument by whose subordinate operation, the Almighty Father formed the universe, and therefore inferior to the Father both in nature and dignity." This opinion was condemned in the Catholic council of Nice in 325, which decreed that Christ was of one and the same substance with the Father. Hereon Arius was banished among the Illyrians, and his followers compelled to give their assent to the creed composed on that occasion. The Arians therefore became bitter enemies and opposers of the Pope and Catholic Church.
We can thus easily see how the spread of Arianism would check the influence of the Catholics, and how fatal the possession of Rome and Italy by a people of the Arian persuasion would be to the supremacy of a Catholic bishop. We are therefore prepared for the following statements of the historian:—
Odoacer was king of the Heruli, and the first of the Barbarians that reigned over the Romans. He took the throne of Italy in 476. Of his religious belief, Gibbon says: "Like the rest of the Barbarians, he had been instructed in the Arian heresy; but he revered the monastic and episcopal characters, and the silence of the Catholics attests the toleration which they enjoyed." But Odoacer in 493 was dethroned by Theodoric, the king of the Ostrogoths, who in turn took the throne and was acknowledged the king of Italy. He also had been instructed in the Arian doctrine. "The triumphs of Arianism were, however," says Mosheim, "transitory, and its prosperous days were entirely eclipsed when the Vandals were driven out of Africa, and the Goths out of Italy by the arms of Justinian." The Vandals fell before the victorious arms of Belisarius, Justinian's general, in 534, and the Goths, retiring, left him in possession of Rome in 538. Justinian, five years before (A. D. 533), had issued a decree, declaring the bishop of Rome the head of all the churches, and that by the "decisions and right judgment of his venerable see, heretics are corrected." By these conquests of Belisarius he was enabled to put this decree into effect.
D'Aubigne also testifies: "Princes whom these stormy times often shook upon their thrones, offered their protection if Rome would in its turn support them. They conceded to her the spiritual authority, provided she would make a return in secular power. They were lavish of the souls of men, in the hope that she would aid them against their enemies. The power of the hierarchy which was ascending, and the imperial power which was declining, leant thus one upon the other, and by this alliance accelerated their twofold destiny. Rome could not lose by it. An edict of Theodosius II, and of Valentinian III, proclaimed the Roman bishop 'rector of the whole church.' Justinian published a similar decree."
If the Pope was not hereby entitled the head of all the churches, he never could be.
"The authenticity of the title," says Mr. Croley, "receives unanswerable proof from the edicts of the 'Novellae' of the Justinian code. The preamble of the 9th states, 'that as the elder Rome was the founder of the laws; so was it not to be questioned that in her was the supremacy of the pontificate.' The 131st, on the Ecclesiastical Titles and Privileges, chapter 2, states: 'We therefore decree that the most holy Pope of the Elder Rome, is the first of all the priesthood, and that the most blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, the new Rome, shall hold the second rank after the holy apostolic chair of the elder Rome.'"
It is true that the Pope did not become a temporal prince till made so by Pepin, the French monarch, in 755; and he did not reach the height of his power till the tenth and twelfth centuries; but this is not the point in the prophecy: the question is, When did the papacy become possessed of such power, that the saints, and times, and laws, might be said to be given into its hands?
This must have been in A. D. 538, when by the force of arms, Justinian established his decree by which he had constituted the Pope the head of the church and the corrector of heretics. And we conceive that the overthrow of the three kingdoms above enumerated, the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths, fulfilled the prediction that he should subdue three kings; for that three kingdoms were overthrown to make way for his supremacy, the Pope has ever since signified by his triple crown.
U. S.
THE RESURRECTION TAUGHT AT THE BURNING BUSH.
By John Nevins Andrews
THE Son of God has given us a wonderful exposition of the words that were uttered from the burning bush. It is by reasoning, or deduction, or inference, that our Lord draws the fact of the resurrection from thence. But a necessary inference is always legitimate proof, and such is the inference which the Saviour draws. The Lord said to Moses, "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Ex. 3:6.
Whenever God says he is the God of any person, or of any class of persons, it is necessarily implied that they who are thus owned of him are his people. In other words, if God calls himself the God of the patriarchs, it is equivalent to calling the patriarchs his servants and his people. There is something reciprocal in the matter. So when God says of his people, "I will be their God," he adds, "And they shall be my people," which indeed is the necessary conclusion. It is the same as though we speak of Zacharias as the husband of Elizabeth. Luke 1. Now this of necessity implies that Elizabeth was the wife of Zacharias. But suppose that Elizabeth is dead and Zacharias still living, we cannot then speak thus of him. He had been her husband, and she had been his wife, but this was dissolved by death. Now our Lord reasons exactly thus when he proves the fact of the resurrection of the patriarchs from the statement of the Most High, made some centuries after their death, that he was their God. They could offer no worship before him, as his people, for they were dead. Ps. 115:17. And hence our Lord lays down the proposition that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for it is the living alone that can sustain the relation of his people to him. Luke 20:37, 38.
God speaks of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as he would speak if they were alive at the very time he spoke. Therefore, says our Lord, these men shall be raised from the dead. But how could God speak thus? Simply because that in his purpose they were certainly to live again. Therefore, to him it was the same as though they were even then alive. And observe our Lord's words, "For all live unto him." If they were actually alive, and not merely in his purpose, they would not live such merely to him, but to the conception of other intelligent beings. But it is God's prerogative to call the things that be not as though they were. Rom. 4:17. And so he virtually pledged himself to raise the patriarchs when he styled himself their God. J. N. A.
SUBMISSION TO GOD.
By John Nevins Andrews
PERFECT submission to God is best learned in the school of affliction. It is a light thing to obey when our own choice is consulted. But when it is ours to submit to sorrow, pain, and disappointment, we need great help from God to enable us to do it. Yet, even then, submission sweetens every bitter cup. With the surrender of the will, and of our own cherished purposes and desires, there come such tokens of God's love and favor as do a thousandfold repay our anguish in dying to self. It is to our great relief when we yield wholly to God. If we do this, we shall find that it is sure to end the anguish of our distressed and agonizing hearts. J. N. A.
Greatness and Goodness
GREATNESS, far from impairing goodness, does but contribute to its enlargement, as a public fountain is elevated that it may send forth its streams farther.—Bossuet.
Debate on Man’s Mortality
By Editor
A FRIEND sends us the following extract of a debate held by the Literary Society of Gilroy, and published in the Advocate, on March 6, stating that the three judges appointed to decide this debate were none of them Adventists, yet they unanimously awarded the victory to the affirmative. The Methodist minister representing the negative has consented to debate the question again, stipulating, however, that there shall be neither judges nor decisions upon the discussion.
"A debate, Resolved, That man is mortal, was next in order. His colleague, Mr. Van Schaick, being absent, Mr. Dryden occupied the time allotted the negative speakers without assistance. E. A. Briggs, in support of the resolution, said that the word immortal is used but once in the entire Bible, and it is then named as an attribute of God. Immortality is used five times, but in each instance it is mentioned as something that man does not possess, or that belongs to God exclusively. We are to strive for immortality, and it is possessed by God alone. The Bible teaches that the dead sleep in the grave where there is no knowledge, nor device, until the resurrection, when all will be judged, and the wicked will suffer the second death, from which there is no restoration. The gift of God is eternal life, and this will be given at the final Judgment to those who shall have overcome. Much importance is attached to the declaration that Man became a living soul; but Kitto translates this identical passage, a living animal. We learn from the Revelation that a living soul may die; the life and soul of the Bible are from the same word, as marginal references frequently explain, and Solomon says that man hath no pre-eminence above a beast, and they have all one breath. No doctrine of the Bible is more clear than that fire is to cleanse the earth, and man's mortal nature is further argued by the frequent comparison of the wicked to the most combustible materials—chaff, tares, thistles, dry branches, the fat of lambs, and stubble fully dry. God will by no means clear the guilty.He cometh to judge with equity; Christ speaks of sins that shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Paul tells us of classes for whom it is impossible to renew themselves unto repentance; yet, in the new earth, every knee shall bow unto the Lord, and every living creature shall praise Him. These Scriptures agree with annihilation and with nothing else. That every tongue shall praise the Lord, and that some neither repent nor be forgiven, are perfectly consistent, when we understand that the dead know not anything, and *the wicked shall not be.'"
"Mr. Dryden did not believe that man ever went into the grave. The material body, the prison of man, returns to dust, but the spirit goes to God who gave it. There is no demand in nature unrequited or unanswered, and it must be true that desires of the human heart may be gratified. The God would be monstrous and cruel who would create beings capable of thirst, without affording means for satisfying it; and it is as contrary to the divine attributes that his creatures should have this longing after immortality, if they are to be blotted from existence. Again, life on this earth is worse than a failure—it is a curse. Thousands are surrounded by such conditions that development of their powers is utterly impossible; millions of the dead have never heard of Jesus or the Bible, and that such should be destroyed before they have had opportunity to develop the faculties that God has given, is neither merciful nor just. The speaker would not create frogs or tadpoles with wishes that could not be satisfied. When, in the field, we overturn a rock, the grass lies pale, and bent, and crushed beneath, and thousands of souls, panting for light and life, are like the grass under the rock. He did not doubt that he might quote three times as many texts as had the young theologus, and prove the opposite position, but he would simply refer to a few Bible facts. Samuel had appeared to Saul and the witch of Endor, and had conversed with them. Moses, and Elias, thousands of years after their death, appeared with Christ upon the mount; John, with his gift of spiritual power, was able to know of events passing in the spiritual world, and to converse with spirits or angels; and other Scriptures told of the re-appearance of the dead, hence arguing their consciousness. Within our knowledge, the dead have been seen and heard—they have reported themselves, and their works are facts that we may easily examine. The speaker closed his interesting argument by referring to special instances of the recent appearance and work of departed spirits."
"C. H. Darrough said belief in immortality is far from universal. Buddhism is called the doctrine of annihilation and half the world are Buddhists. If the longing after immortality is part of our nature and should be satisfied, the answer is that it may be, though there is but one straight path. The man who thirsts must go to the well or spring; the man who would acquire learning, must seek the fountains of knowledge; and he who longs for immortality may find it through faith in Christ, though it is the gift of God and in no sense belongs to man. Ours is certainly a cheerless struggle, but the man who employs his gifts and poor advantages according to the best light that God gives him, will inherit a better life in which his faculties will find their full development. His opponent would not create creatures however humble, with desires that might never be gratified; but, did he believe that toad and tadpole would have another chance?"
"He quoted a large number of texts indicating the total destruction of the wicked. Four times the Bible says that fire shall devour them, four times that fire shall burn them up and they shall be as if they had not been. Moses forbade consulting with wizards, and Saul died for his offense. Spirits that become familiar with man are spirits of devils, according to Paul. John commands us to try them and if they testify against God's word there is no light in them. The Bible declares, that thoughts perish in the grave, and the spirit that pretends to represent an inhabitant of the grave, is a spirit of the devil. Life and thought are dependent on our food and breath. If we could construct a machine as delicately perfect in organization as the human body, we have no reason to doubt that air would animate it."
"In sleep we lose consciousness; and, so far as scientific knowledge extends, death differs only in being a more complete suspension. It is certainly the word of science that man knows not anything in death, even as it is the word of God. The doctrine of immortality is of man's invention. Herodotus tells us that it originated with the Egyptians; Strabo writes that Plato taught it that the ignorant might be more easily controlled; the early fathers in the church considered it a dangerous heresy; it was rejected by the rest of the reformers, and Luther, Wilson and Wesley testify that it has no place in the oracles of God."
HOW SHALL WE KEEP THE SABBATH?
By Ellen G. White
God is merciful. His requirements are reasonable, in accordance with the goodness and benevolence of his character. The object of the Sabbath was to benefit mankind. Man was not made to fit the Sabbath; for the Sabbath was made after the creation of man, to meet his necessities. God rested, after making the world in six days. He sanctified and blessed the day upon which he rested from all his creative work. He set apart that special day for man to rest from his labor, and as he should look upon the earth beneath, and the heavens above, remember that God made all these in six days and rested on the seventh; also, that his heart might be filled with love and reverence to his Maker, as he should behold the tangible proofs of his infinite wisdom.
To keep the Sabbath holy, we should in no case allow burdens and business transactions to divert our minds. We should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. It is not necessary that we shut ourselves away from the scenes of nature, and thus be deprived of the free, invigorating air of heaven. The mind cannot be refreshed, enlivened, and elevated, by being confined nearly all the Sabbath hours within walls, listening to long sermons, and tedious, formal prayers. The Sabbath of the Lord is put to a wrong use, when thus celebrated. The object is not attained for which the Sabbath was instituted. The Sabbath was made to be a blessing to man, by calling his mind from secular labor, to contemplate the goodness and glory of God. It is highly proper, and even necessary, that the people of God assemble to talk of him, to interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in the word of God, and to devote a portion of time to appropriate prayer. But these seasons, even upon the Sabbath, should not be made tedious by their length and lack of interest. During a portion of the day, all should have an opportunity to be out of doors.
How can the minds of children become better impressed, and receive a more correct knowledge of God, than in spending a portion of their time in the open air; not in play, but in company with their parents. Surrounded with nature's beautiful scenery, their attention may be called to the tokens of God's love to man in his creative works, and their young minds will be attracted and interested. They will not be in danger of associating the character of God with everything that is stern and severe. But as they view the beautiful things he has created for the happiness of man, they will be led to regard him as a tender, loving Father. They will see that his prohibitions and injunctions are not made merely to show his power and authority, but that he has the happiness of his children in view. As the character of God puts on the aspect of love, benevolence, beauty, and attraction, they are drawn to love him. Their minds may be directed to the lovely birds, making the air musical with their happy songs, the spires of grass, and the gloriously tinted flowers in their perfection perfuming the air. All these proclaim the love and skill of the heavenly Artist, and show forth the glory of God.
Parents, why not make use of the precious lessons God has given us in the book of nature and give our children a correct idea of his character? Go and sit with them in the groves, or the bright sunshine, and give their restless minds something to feed upon by conversing with them upon the works of God, and inspire them with love and reverence by calling their attention to the beautiful objects in nature.
Those who sacrifice simplicity to fashion, and shut themselves away from the beauties of nature, cannot be spiritually minded. They cannot understand the skill and power of God as revealed in his creative works; therefore their hearts do not quicken and throb with new love and interest, and are not filled with awe and reverence as they see God in nature.
All who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, holy and honorable. They cannot do this by seeking their own pleasure in sinful, forbidden amusements. But by exalting the Sabbath in the family, it may be made the most interesting day in the week.
The Sabbath should be made so interesting that its weekly return will be hailed with joy by every member of the family. In no better way can parents exalt and honor the Sabbath than to devise means to impart proper instruction to their children, and interest them in spiritual things, giving them correct views of the character of God, and what he requires of them in order to perfect Christian characters and to attain to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children shall look forward to it, and have a welcome in their hearts for it.
MRS. E. G. WHITE.
ECONOMY.
WHAT does the word "economy" mean? Does it mean the mere laying away of money, the mere pinching of our needs and taste that we may have a fund laid by for a possible future—that, after all, we may never see? Does it mean to be stingy, to refuse to give for this good object, or to assist that deserving, but less fortunate neighbor? None of these; true economy is possible to the rich, as it is necessary to the poor. Economy signifies management; the regulation of affairs both domestic and public. It does not mean that the tired wife shall devote each moment of her life to hard work; by doing so she is guilty of the gravest waste. It does not mean that the father shall deny himself the newspaper, which will be rest and nourishment for his weary brain and of value to the whole family. It means that all members of the household shall be provided with every comfort that will help them to enjoy life in a rational manner, and thus become useful to themselves and those around them. But nothing should be wasted; the silly book purchased, the cheap and flimsy, but showy garment bought for mere fashion's sake, the superfluous article had because it was cheap, all are indications of a lack of true economy or thrift. Be careful of what you have; buy what you need, and not what you want; and, above all, live within your annual income; then you will have found that economy, rightly understood, has brought you many comforts—and some luxuries
COLPORTERS NEEDED.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
THE object of our tract and missionary work has been twofold. 1. To transact the business for our brethren and sisters with the publishing associations, and 2. To place reading matter before thousands who have hitherto been unacquainted with the truth therein contained. This is not a work that is of pecuniary advantage to any. Our tracts are purchased and given away; and our labor is at a sacrifice. To those who are looking for an earthly reward in honors or pecuniary advantages the missionary work presents no inducements. But to those who rejoice in the salvation of souls, and who labor for a reward in the kingdom of God, it is a blessed privilege to engage in it.
There is one part of our work, however, that has never been fully systematized. It is that of a colporter. There are scores of cities and villages upon this coast which should be entered, and thoroughly canvassed with our publications. In this way books may be loaned and sold, tracts given away, and subscribers obtained for our periodicals. There is no work in our cause which is more important than this; and yet there is no part of it in which so little, proportionately, has been accomplished as in this.
A minister may preach acceptably in the desk, and theoretically convert scores. But it is the pastoral labor that gives permanency to his effort, and without this fruit will be wanting. There will be a frame-work, a theory, but the heart work is not there.
There are many young men and women now in the East who are acting as colporters, and the result of their labor has been good. Souls have been converted, and a permanent interest has been awakened in many places. There are many upon this coast who could engage in this work, persons who would exert a good influence by visiting families, but who would not be successful in the desk. And yet the work is as sacred and important as the work of the ministry, and we see no reason why those men who thus devote their time, and whose labor God accepts, are not entitled to a support from the conference.
To simply visit families and have a social chat upon religious subjects is not the end in view. Souls are to be saved. The truth is to be presented, and the mind led on step by step until they can see beauty and perfect harmony in the word of God. Those who engage in this work should keep Christ before their minds, and so represent him that those with whom they come in contact will be able to see, in their life and conversation, the spirit of their divine Lord. They should have a living connection with God, drink daily from that fountain which will give eternal life and peace, and have a realizing sense of the value of souls for whom Christ died. God will bless the labors of those thus consecrated to his service.
We believe that the Lord is moving upon hearts in California, and that he is as willing to work here as elsewhere. From what we have seen East and West among our missionary workers we believe that there are those upon this coast who are as willing to sacrifice and bear responsibilities as there are in any other part of the country. We are thankful for what we have read and know of the success which has attended some of our ministers in this State during the present conference year, but we hope to see even greater results from the labors of individuals acting as colporters. Shall we not make a special effort in this direction? Are there not many who will give themselves to the work of God as colporters? These should be men and women of good address, whose hearts are imbued with the spirit of the truth, and whose deportment is such as will recommend the Christian religion. Our publications should be distributed more extensively than ever before. Reading-rooms should be furnished with periodicals. Libraries should be supplied with standard doctrinal works; ship libraries furnished with reading matter, and packages of our publications sent to the different ports visited by the vessels constantly leaving San Francisco. Our faith should not weaken neither our hands slacken, but we should put forth greater efforts than ever in the past.
S. N. HASKELL.
SMITH'S CREEK, MICH.
By D. H. Lamson, R. J. Lawrence
We commenced meetings near this place Jan. 19, and have continued them nearly without intermission till the present writing. There was once a church of twenty-two members here; but about seven years ago the apostasy and influence of one man, the clerk and treasurer of the society, scattered the flock. Some gave up the truth; others moved away; some have died. We thought that, with the help of God, something might be done to re-awaken an interest here and to encourage the few who have been faithful under very depressing influences and great discouragements. The services have nearly all been practical, and of the nature of a revival. Crowds have attended, fully thirty have started in the service of God, twentyfive115are pledged to the observance of the Sabbath, and the interest is unabated and spreading to other neighborhoods. Books are taken quite freely. We are canvassing for the REVIEW and our other papers. The Lord has heard our cries, and that this work may be permanent and a blessing to others still, let his people ever pray.
Feb. 24. D. H. Lamson, R. J. Lawrence.
THE MISSIONARY.
GOD GIVE US MEN.
God give us men. A time like this demands Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and ready hands; Men whom the lust of office does not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor; men who will not lie; Men who can stand before a demagogue, And scorn his treacherous flatteries without winking; Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog In public duty and in private thinking; For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds, Their large professions, and their little deeds, Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps, Wrong rules the land, and waiting Justice sleeps.
—Selected
THE CAUSE IN ENGLAND.
By John Norton Loughborough
STILL our work progresses here in England, and at Southampton in particular. I hope none will think because we have made our home at this place that our work has all been confined to a handful here. By circulating tracts and papers, and corresponding, we are seeking to awaken an interest all over the kingdom. Nearly every day we get encouraging responses, and evidence that the truth is working its way to hearts. The past season has been such an unfavorable one (so many storms) that it has been a slow process to get the interest here matured.
As before reported, our T. and M. Society is organized. Since our last report we have had three occasions of baptizing. Thirteen have been baptized already, and several others have applied for baptism. Where should the baptism be attended? is a question which has given us no little perplexity. The few Baptists here attend baptism in their fonts, in their chapels. We could not get even the loan of their robes, it was therefore no use to ask for the loan of a font. An attempt was made by others, not long since, to baptize in a stream a few miles from Ravenswood. A vast mob assembled, threw brick-bats, stones, and dirt to break up the baptism. It did not seem proper for us to try such an experiment just at this time. At last we decided to prepare a font in one of the lower rooms of Ravenswood. We have done so, and our baptisms have been quiet, blessed occasions.
The first baptism by Seventh-day Adventists in England was on Sunday morning, Feb. 8. On that occasion six were baptized. At the close of our Wednesday evening service, Feb. 11, two more were baptized. One of these was the steward mentioned in a former report. Sabbath, the 14th, five more were baptized, and we are to have another baptism next Sabbath.
Next week I go to Taunton, Somerset, the place of Bro. Veysey’s residence, to commence a series of public lectures there. To-day we have brought home from the printing office of "Foster and Roud" an edition of 2,000 each of seven tracts, 14,000 in all. This is the first of our effort here in printing. As we gather around this pile of printed sheets, we unite our prayers to God that his signal blessing may rest upon and follow these tracts, and that the time may soon come when thousands may be reading truth printed in England for the English readers.
As the result of placing a notice of this Ravenswood depository in the SIGNS a few times, we have already had several applications for papers and tracts. Of these applicants, at least one is now keeping the Sabbath. This morning we received the following: "Dear Sir—I have met with a torn sheet of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, printed in California. I see your name on it as having some of the tracts issued by the same person. Will you kindly send me a list of what you have, and the price? If you will send me one shilling’s worth of back numbers of the SIGNS, you will oblige. Yours," etc. His letter contained twenty-four cents in stamps. We sent him nine numbers of the SIGNS, and one copy of, "Is the End Near?" with catalogue of English prices on the back. This man has the first copy of our tracts printed in Great Britain. We shall see what we shall see as the result. Now it seems to me if we could have a standing notice of this depository in the SIGNS, if it is not more than two lines of very fine type, it would be an excellent affair, as so many hundreds of copies are being scattered from America, and by us, here. As one prominent temperance man told us the other day, "Your papers are getting scattered all around; I have met them in many places where I go, and they are read with increasing interest."
May the Lord give us wisdom in all branches of our labor here, and may there be a harvest of souls, even from Great Britain.
Feb. 18, 1880. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
TRACTS AND ORANGES.
By Editor
Bro. Loughborough reports the following interesting item from Southampton, Eng.:—
A ship returned from the West Indies to this port. In the cargo consigned to London was a lot of oranges. The ship-keeper (who helps us distribute tracts), in re-arranging the box of oranges, found in the box a copy of the tract, "Who Changed the Sabbath?" This had been to the orange groves. It appeared to have been read, and carefully laid in the box to go to some one else. The ship-keeper put several more of our tracts with it, carefully nailed up the box, and let it go on to its destination. That tract has now crossed the Atlantic three times. Who will receive it at last? And what will be its effect? What convictions it may have raised before finding its place in the orange box, the Judgment alone can tell. Forwarding our tracts in this way reminds me of the Bibles sent by Wm. Tyndale to England in sacks of grain.
FAIRVIEW, FRESNO CO., CAL.
By M. C. Israel; J. L. Wood
We commenced meetings in the school-house at this place, and at Temperance Colony, Feb. 19. The meetings were well attended by the church, and some outside interest manifested. This church numbers sixty-eight, the members being located in four different settlements; namely, Fairview, Temperance Colony, Mendocino, and Central Colony.
Regular Sabbath meetings and Sabbath-schools are held at the two former places. Our Sabbaths were spent at Fairview, so we did not visit the school at Temperance Colony, but were very much pleased with the school at Fairview, under the superintendence of Bro. J. W. Traber. A praiseworthy interest was manifested by both old and young. The map exercise was a very interesting feature of the school, and was participated in by those of from ten to fifteen years of age. Each seemed anxious for his turn to come to point out places on the map and relate incidents that took place there.
There is also a live temperance club at each of these places, which meets alternately every two weeks. At these meetings essays are read, speeches made, and temperance pieces recited by the boys and girls of the club. Quite a number who are not of our faith are members.
Some difficulties existed in the church which were brought up and reconciled, and others were left in a way to settle themselves. An elder and deacon were elected and ordained. The V. M. Society at each of the two first named places was revived, and their numbers more than doubled. Weekly meetings were appointed, and twenty-five more copies of the SIGNS subscribed for. The SIGNS, Review, and Good Health, are read by most of the families in the church, also the church library and other books.
We visited nearly all the members of the church at their homes, and a large majority signed the pledge to pay the Lord's tithe, and besides, the one-third. We think nearly all the others will do so when called on. This completes our labors for the present in Fresno and Tulare counties. From the willingness the brethren have manifested in these places we are encouraged that all the brethren in other parts of our conference may abound in "this grace also." Our prayer is that the brothers and sisters may have grace to carry out their good resolutions and pay their vows, so there "may be meat in the Lord's house," and in return the windows of Heaven be opened and the blessing promised be poured out upon them.
