Testimonials for "Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation."
ELD. CHAS. L. BOYD, president North Pacific S. D. A. Conference, East Portland, Oregon, says: "Prophecy is to the Bible student what history is to the intelligent scholar. Prophecy is history in advance. Man collects and rehearses events of the past. In the books of Daniel and Revelation we have continuous chains of prophecy reaching from the kingdom of Babylon to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. 'Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,' by Elder Smith, a classic author, is a mine of wealth, and cannot fail to interest the intelligent reader."
Prof. S. Brownsberger, Healdsburg, Cal., says: "I have read Elder Smith's 'Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation' with deep interest, and I have no hesitancy in saying that it is replete with facts concerning the fulfillment of prophecy that must be interesting, and from their very nature even startling, to every intelligent person. The truths here developed are marvels of force and beauty. Though the work is professedly a religious one, dealing as it does with revelation, yet its historical value in connection with the fulfillment of prophecy is such as to recommend it to every student of civil history. In short, it interprets more of that kind of truth so little understood than any other book before the public."
Eld. J. N. Loughborough, president Upper Columbia S. D. A. Conference, Walla Walla, W. T., says: "As a book treating of the rise and fall of the nations which have fulfilled the Scriptures, 'Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation' is the most interesting work I have ever read."
J. H. Kellogg, M. D., Physician-in-chief of the Sanitarium, Battle Creek, Mich., says: " 'Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,' by Eld. U. Smith, is a work of immense value to every student of prophecy. We know of no work, in any language, which throws such a flood of light upon these two books. The author offers no idle hypotheses, but bases his views upon the most extensive research in ancient and modern history, and presents an array of arguments in support of his positions which cannot be easily set aside."
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News and Notes.
By Editor
RELIGIOUS.
—Newsboys are prohibited from crying their papers on Sunday in New Haven, Conn.
—The London Sunday-school Union has issued a call for a season of prayer throughout the world, for Sunday-schools, on October 19th and 20th.
—Members of the Salvation Army to the number of two thousand paraded the streets of Toronto, September 1. One person in the procession was a millionaire, who was recently converted.
—In the M. E. Church Conference at Monterey, Cal., a representative of the Germans reported that the church amongst his nationality is a total abstinence church. A Japanese from the mission in San Francisco was received into the Conference, and reported great prosperity in the mission.
—The Western Watchman, a Catholic journal, says: "Catholics seldom read Catholic books. Pious Catholic literature is an abomination in their sight. Protestants accuse them of not reading the Bible; that is only half the truth. They read neither the Bible nor anything else of a religious character. The majority of our people read their mass prayers and look over the table of sins, and farther into Catholic literature they do not go."
—Rev. Father Prendergast, of San Francisco, has been reviewing the difficulty in the High School, caused by certain statements about the Catholic Church. He condemned Swinton's history as untrue. Concerning the gross immoralities charged upon certain popes, he indignantly stated that those popes were not as bad as their enemies claim. Perhaps not; but if some of them were only one-fourth as bad as they are represented, they were human monsters.
—The Central Presbyterian treats its readers to this bit of news: "The Church was organized after the fall, and Adam was the first person admitted into it. He started the church of Redeemed Humanity on the Presbyterian model. If he had been a Presbyterian elder before this time, he never would have fallen." This is only equaled by the little girl who, when she learned in Sunday-school that Jesus was a Jew, indignantly stated that she knew better, because God was a Presbyterian.
—The St. Louis Globe-Democrat says: "The territory of Russian Siberia, one and a half times as large as the United States, has belonged to Russia three centuries, yet of the 4,000,000 inhabitants nearly one-half are still pagan. Paganism is fostered by the home Government. The pagan priests are allowed to collect and burn the copies of the Bible with which the missionaries supply the converts, and no missionary may baptize without the authority of the pagan civil authorities, who are allowed to do most anything to drive Christianity from the country."
—Mr. Moncure D. Conway has resigned the Unitarian pulpit in which he had charge. He complained that the London Unitarians gave him the cold shoulder. The Christian Life, the organ of the Unitarian body, gives us the reason for this, that he "openly rejected Christianity, discarded the Christian name," and held views of the universe virtually atheistical. This is a very good reason for a body of Christians getting rid of a minister. Our Unitarian friends have done well in getting rid of Mr. Conway. But they would have done far better had they never been obliged to get rid of him. A pronounced agnostic and a suspected atheist in a professedly Christian pulpit is not a sight edifying to men or angels. It is a kind of liberality, though, that must please old Satan.—Christian at Work.
—The Christian at Work advocates the dropping of Sunday evening services, and the idea is being discussed in its columns. A paragraph from a minister who favors the plan, strikes us as being to the point. He says: "In case it seems best to keep up the second service, that it may be made interesting and popular, the preaching should be extemporaneous. Many will come to a second service to listen to a glowing unwritten presentation of the claims of the gospel who would not come to hear a second written sermon. The church is calling for speakers, not readers; for a return to the primitive Christly and apostolic method of speaking directly to the people on the sublime themes of inspiration." Query: If that would work well for an evening service, why should not the "Christly and apostolic method of speaking" be adopted for the morning service also?
RECEIPTS.
By Editor
NOTICE.—The change of figures on the address labels will be in all cases a sufficient receipt for money sent for the paper. If these changes do not appear in due time, and if books ordered by mail are not received, please notify us. All other business is acknowledged below.
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Publishers' Department.
By Editor
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OUR GENERAL AGENTS.
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Obituary.
By John O. Corliss
The Death of Sister Rice.
LAST week's SIGNS announced the death of Sister Rice. Although the nature of her disease was such that those best acquainted with the case felt she must soon yield to its ravages, yet to some her death was sudden and unexpected. She died of consumption, at the home of her father, Bro. Reuel Stickney, near Little River, Mendocino County, Cal., Sabbath morning, Sept. 6, 1884, aged 32 years, 1 month and 27 days.
Barbara C. Stickney was born in Windsor, Maine. In 1862, her parents removed to California, and very soon located in Mendocino County, where they now reside. Barbara being quite apt, became proficient in her studies, and at the age of twenty commenced teaching. She followed this calling successfully for two years, when, her health failing, she went East.
Sister Barbara was chosen secretary of the California State Tract and Missionary Society of S. D. Adventists in the fall of 1879. She occupied this position, with the exception of one year, up to the time of her death. She was also elected, in 1881, secretary of the California State Conference, and performed the duties of that office for two years with much credit to herself. For some years she was secretary of the State Sabbath-school Association of California, and much of the efficiency of that organization is due to her faithful labors in its behalf. At the time of her death she was also corresponding secretary of the International T. and M. Society. In all these positions, she labored ardently for the success of the work. Every effort was marked with faithfulness and untiring energy. Her devotion to the cause of Christ was life-long, and when strength failed her to longer labor, she often expressed solicitude relative to the progress of the work.
May 18, 1882, she united in marriage with Eld. J. D. Rice, and proved a loving and devoted wife. In the fall of 1883, they went East to recuperate their health, when her disease became aggravated, and she was for a time prostrated. They returned to California last spring, and she grew steadily worse until death came to her relief.
The funeral was attended by a vast concourse of sympathizing friends, to whom the writer spoke from the words, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Cor. 15:26.
In the death of Sister Rice, the church at Oakland sustains the loss of a faithful, devoted member, and the California Conference loses one of its most efficient workers. The husband, parents, brothers, and sisters have the sympathy of the church in their deep affliction. J. O. CORLISS.
THE SABBATH QUESTION.
By Editor
Assorted Package No. 1. Price, 10c.
Which Day Do You Keep, and Why—Who Changed the Sabbath—The Sabbath in the New Testament—Elihu on the Sabbath—God's Memorial—Sunday Not the Sabbath—Why Not Found Out Before—One Hundred Bible Facts about the Sabbath.
Assorted Package No. 2. Price, 25c.
This package contains all the tracts in package No. 1, and the following in addition:—
Seven Reasons for Sunday-keeping Examined—The Ten Commandments Not Abolished—The Seventh Part of Time—The Definite Seventh Day—Perfection of the Ten Commandments—Address to the Baptists—The Sunday Law.
OTHER WORKS ON THE SABBATH.
The Truth Found.—A comprehensive exposition of the nature and obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. 64 pp....................... 10c
Sunday Seventh-day Examined.—A critical examination of the claim that Sunday is the true seventh day of the fourth commandment. 88 pp.......... 10c
Brown's Review of Gilfillan on the Sabbath Question. 64 pp....................... 10c
Appeal to the Baptists.—An address from the Seventh-day Baptists to their first-day Baptist brethren, urging a restoration of the Bible Sabbath from the stand-point of Baptist principles of argument and interpretation. 48 pp....................... 10c
Vindication of the True Sabbath.—By a former missionary of the Presbyterian Church............. 10c
Morality of the Sabbath.—Showing that the Sabbath commandment, being found in the midst of the nine acknowledged moral precepts, is, like the others, moral in its nature. 96 pp.................... 15c
Testimony of the Fathers of the first three centuries concerning the Sabbath and First-day. A candid examination of both sides of the question. 112 pp.......................... 15c
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
THE SECOND ADVENT.
Assorted Package No. 3. Price, 10c.
The Coming of the Lord—Is the End Near—Can We Know—The Signs of the Times—The Judgment—The Second Advent.
Assorted Package No. 4. Price, 25c.
Containing package No. 3, and the following in addition:—
The Millennium—The Present Truth—The Third Angel's Message—Exposition of Matthew Twenty-four.
OTHER WORKS ON THE SECOND ADVENT.
Our Faith and Hope.—A series of ten sermons on the coming and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. 198 pp....................... 25c
Second Coming of Christ.—An exposition of Matthew 24th chapter. 64 pp....................... 10c
Three Messages of Rev. 14.—Showing the nature and character of the warning messages designed to prepare the world for the last great Judgment. 96 pp....................... 10c
The Saints' Inheritance, or the Earth Made New. 82 pp....................... 10c
The Seven Trumpets. An exposition of the symbols of Rev. 8 and 9. 96 pp....................... 10c
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
MAN'S NATURE AND DESTINY
Assorted Package No. 5. Price, 10c.
Is Man Immortal—Thoughts for the Candid—End of the Wicked—The Rich Man and Lazarus—Departing and Being with Christ—Milton on the State of the Dead.
OTHER WORKS ON MAN'S NATURE.
The Hope of the Gospel.—What is it, and when will it be consummated? 80 pp....................... 10c
Matter and Spirit.—An argument on the relation of matter and spirit, and the dependence of thought upon organization. 66 pp....................... 10c
History of the Doctrine of the Soul.—The belief in its immortality traced among all races and peoples to the present time. 186 pp., cloth........... 75c
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
MISCELLANEOUS TRACTS.
Assorted Package No. 6. Price, 25c.
The Plan of Redemption—The Sufferings of Christ—The Sanctuary of the Bible—Scripture References—The Spirit of Prophecy—Spiritualism a Satanic Delusion—Samuel and the Witch of Endor—The End of the Wicked—The Two Thrones.
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
Appointments.
By Editor
OAKLAND.—House of worship, northeast corner of Clay and Thirteenth Streets. Sabbath-school every Sabbath at 9:30 A. M. Preaching at 11 A. M. Prayer and missionary meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:45. Seats free. Invitations to all.
SAN FRANCISCO.—House of worship, 912 Laguna Street, between McAllister and Tyler Streets. Sabbath-school every Sabbath at 9:45 A. M. Preaching at 11 A. M. Prayer and missionary meeting every Wednesday evening at 7:45. Mission Reading-rooms at the church.
California Conference.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell, M. C. Israel,; William Clarence White
The thirteenth annual session of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will be held in connection with the State camp-meeting at Oakland, Sept. 18-30, 1884. Every company of Seventh-day Adventists in the Conference should be well represented. The delegates should be elected according to the following ratio: Each church to the number of twenty members or under, shall be entitled to one delegate, and one delegate for every additional fifteen members.
S. N. HASKELL,
M. C. ISRAEL,
W. C. WHITE.
Cal. Conference Committee.
California Tract and Missionary Society.
By M. C. Israel
THE fourteenth annual meeting of the California T. and M. Society will be held during the session of the camp-meeting, to be held at Oakland, Sept. 18-30, 1884.
This will be the most important meeting of the kind ever held in the State, as the work is nearer its close and the field is opening up more fully before us. Arrangements should be made at this meeting to provide for many places that are calling for labor in our own State and Nevada; also to extend efforts already being made for the islands of the Pacific Ocean.
M. C. ISRAEL, Vice-Pres.
Brazil’s Coffee Industry
THERE are 2,000,000 acres of coffee fields in Brazil, upon which are 800,000,000 trees. Each tree averages one pound of coffee every year, and 1,000,000 hands are employed by the industry.
Hard Work and Slow Gains.
A BUSINESS man is doing well, conducting a safe business, supporting his family, and saving a few hundred annually. But the process is slow and the labor hard, and he turns his thoughts to some lucky expedient to avoid labor and increase gain. He reads of some remarkably lucky ventures in stocks on Wall Street, or in mines in some distant State or Territory, and he risks his money, weakens his business and credit at home, and loses all. It was an evil hour when he became dissatisfied with small profits, hard work, and slow gains. It was rebellion against the law of God that will not allow men to get rich hastily. Ruin will follow him in the years to come. Perhaps one-half of all the men who are to-day engaged in business that they understand, and are succeeding reasonably well, are dissatisfied at heart with their condition, and meditate by the hour on changing place and business so as to make money faster, and is it out of the way to say that more failures than successes result from such changes? Yet men are slow to learn; and it is an evil day when both observation and experience fail as teachers.
No Inducement.
By Editor
THE editor of the California Christian Advocate has been traveling in Nevada, and writes to his paper the result of his observations. While there he saw a reward of $500 offered to any one who would produce a text proving Sunday to be the Sabbath. There is nothing very strange in that, for we have known much larger rewards to be offered for things far more plentiful than texts authorizing Sunday observance. Editors are proverbially poor, and do not usually let slip any lawful means of increasing their worldly store; but our brother of the Advocate made no effort to furnish the required text, saying in justification of his course, "We do not need the $500."
We are surprised to learn that our brother is so rich and increased in goods that he is in need of nothing. Our editorial work is not so remunerative, and since he is in such good case, we ask him to do for us as a favor, what he could not be induced to do for money. Let us have one "Thus saith the Lord" for Sunday-keeping. We promise that as soon as it is received, we will immediately begin to keep Sunday, and will even vote for a Sunday law.
Woman Killing.
By Editor
THERE seems to be an epidemic of woman murdering in these days. Last Friday, Sept. 12, a man named Hutchings was hanged in San Francisco for choking to death a woman with whom he had lived, though they were not married. His counsel labored persistently to get him to move for a new trial, but he refused, declaring that he would rather meet his fate now than to prolong his life, for he knew the hanging would come. There was not a particle of doubt of the murder, and all the physicians who examined him declared that he was sane. Why the lawyer wished to saddle upon the tax-payers the expense of a new trial is a mystery to us. We have no respect for this sickly sentimentality which spends all its force in sympathizing with crime, and tries to reverse the words of Scripture that government is a terror to evil-doers.
On Thursday night previous to the hanging another man murdered his wife in San Francisco. And while the crowd surrounded the jail in their efforts to catch a glimpse of the execution, a woman ran into the street from an adjoining house followed by a man with evident murderous intent. The woman was rescued, and before the man could be arrested he was lost in the crowd.
Of course Hutchings was "converted" before he was hanged. Murder seems to be an easy way of getting to Heaven speedily, according to common or popular belief. Not a murderer fails to make a sure passage there, while no one would ever think of insuring them such a boon were it not that they killed somebody! The Bible says that "no murderer has eternal life abiding in him," but that is fast being changed to read: "Every murderer has eternal life abiding in him."
We referred to the expression of the murderer hanged in San Jose this year to show what kind of religion he had imbibed, from Dr. Bentley, who baptized him, to prepare him for Heaven. The following will show the nature of Hutchings' preparation to swing off into glory. Among his last sayings was this:—
"I have been converted through the good priest who has come to see me. I do not know that a death-bed repentance will avail, but I believe if I die like a man it will be looked on in my favor by the Almighty."
This we call gallows theology! Under such instruction the vilest of criminals are deceived into the belief that they will be saved, while they have no conception of the nature of true repentance and faith in Christ. And the terror of retribution is removed from the sight of other criminals, and they make light of sin and despise the threatenings of the word of God. It is a shame—a reproach to the gospel of Christ, and an abuse of the grace of God shown forth in his Son.
Death of Sister Rice.
THE news of the death of Sister Rice reached us on the camp-ground in Nevada, about five hours after she fell asleep. It cast a gloom over our meeting, for all knew her and loved her for her devotion to the cause of God. We all feel afflicted in the affliction of the family. The "Band of Hope" of Little River passed some expressive and touching resolutions on the occasion. She was its first president. For the sake of the cause which she served so well we feel her loss deeply. But God is not straitened for resources, and she will not sleep long. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth."
The Tent-Meeting.
The tent-meeting in Oakland closed last Sunday evening, to give the people a chance to rest and prepare for the camp-meeting. It was pitched the last time not far from the camp-ground, to raise the interest in that direction, and turn attention to the camp. On this account, and as the time was short, the effort was not made to finish up the work there, as all who attend can also attend the camp-meeting and learn all about our work.
New Press.
By Editor
As WE close up this paper the work of putting in a new first-class press in our office is nearly completed. This will greatly increase our facilities for fast printing, and will enable us to get the SIGNS in the mail in good season without disappointing any of our regular customers, as we have had to do several times heretofore. By and by we shall have them all busy printing the "present truth." And our people should remember that they all can do something to hasten that day. Will they do it?
Interesting Articles.
By Editor
AMONG the interesting articles in this paper we call attention to the two on page 565. The first, on the union of Catholics and Protestants, was sent to us from Missouri, clipped from the Globe-Democrat. It presents nothing new to us, as we have marked this tendency for some time. Many representative Protestant teachers in the United States are courting the favor of the Catholics, praising their stability, and pitying them for the abuse they have received from historians! The article in the Century, from which the paper quotes, says that "the Roman Catholic doctrine and practice respecting divorce are much closer to the law of the New Testament than those of the Protestant churches have been," which, to the shame of the Protestant churches, is only the truth. But the writer further speaks of "the earnest effort at the present time to bring the practice of the Protestant churches a little nearer to the Roman Catholic standard." Why not a little nearer to the New Testament standard? The tendency of the age is to belittle or underrate the authority of the Scriptures and to glorify human ideas and to correct the church by human standards.
But it is a significant fact, and just what might be expected, that all the dalliance is on the part of the Protestants; not a particle of it comes from the Catholics. The time will come when they will take advantage of this anti-Protestant spirit on the part of Protestants; but the time has not yet arrived. When "the chief festival of the church," the Sunday, is to be exalted in the land, then will be the time to unite their forces, because this will redound to the honor of the body which made it "a festival of precept under sin." But warnings will not avail with the masses, for their religion is too easy in its nature to sacrifice a popular idol to save a principle.
The other article on page 565, is by Dr. Steele, a Methodist minister, on the query, "Did Christ's Blood Decay?" It is a subject on which we had thought much before we saw this article, and had come to the same conclusion at which Dr. Steele arrived. We have had this on hand for some time, and now conclude to give it to our readers. We love to see the blood of Christ exalted among men; and our people, who give so much attention to the work of our High Priest in the sanctuary in Heaven, cannot fail to read it with interest.
Whales in the Bay.
By Editor
The San Francisco papers notice that some fishermen have been badly scared by whales rising near their boats, in one instance within thirty feet of an Italian, who vigorously crossed himself and called upon the Virgin to protect him. But we had a nearer view of one than that. While on the bay last week in a small craft, we saw two whales sporting in the waters near the Golden Gate. A large one appeared to be moving across our track, and our "associate editor" stood in the bow to watch for him. He arose about fifteen feet from our bow, and gave us a splendid sight of almost his entire body. Had we been even a few seconds in advance of our position, he might have risen under us. We have seen hundreds up this coast, and we recognized this as a large one—upon whose back our boat would have risen like a cork. It was a rare opportunity to view such a monster of the deep.
Journey to the General Conference
In company with Bro. W. C. White we expect to start east very soon after the California camp-meeting. It will give us pleasure to meet the friends in another General Conference—an opportunity we hardly expected.
OUR camp-meeting begins on the day of the date of this paper. No paper will be issued Sept. 25. The next will be dated Oct. 2. It is our desire to give the hands in the office the opportunity of attending the camp-meeting just as far as possible.
As work progresses on the camp-ground the admiration of all concerned increases for the beauty and fitness of the location. Everything will be done that can be done to make it pleasant. We invite our brethren and sisters and friends to come and lend their assistance to make the meeting profitable. Pray for the blessing of the Lord. We need it; we must have it, on this occasion.