Earlier text: Remarks upon Zechariah 6:9-15JACOB L. GREENE, president of the Connecticut Mutual Life Assurance Company, says:— “It has been my duty to read the records of and to make careful inquiry into the last illness and death of many thousand persons of all classes in all parts of the country. Two great features are shown in those records—the value of a man's inheritance, and the modifying force of habits of living upon that vitality. Every man is born with that amount of vital force that ought, accidents apart and humanly speaking, to carry him a specified distance on the scale of years, and each man's inheritance can, on the average, be fairly determined. Among the persons selected with care for physical soundness and sobriety, and who are, as a rule, respectable and useful members of society, the death rate is more profoundly affected by the use of intoxicating drinks than by any other one cause apart from hereditary. There are not among insured men a great many deaths in the gutter, nor of delirium tremens. There are a great many hobnailed livers and other diseases whose history is not far to seek; but in the majority of cases the effect is mainly apparent in the predisposition to disease caused by drink and the sap of the vital powers, impairing their ability to maintain healthy action under adverse circumstances, to sustain a conflict with disease, or to rally from a shock. The degree to which many diseases commonly referred to as malaria, overwork, and other vague, general scapegoat causes, are actually grounded in what would almost invariably be called a temperate use of drink by persons of reputed temperance habits, would be incredible to the mass of people unaccustomed to careful observation and comparison of related cases. That habitual, sottish drunkenness should issue in disease and death, most people can understand. But that moderate, soberly, decorous indulgence should issue in congested brains, insanity, suicide, paralysis, disease of kidneys, liver, stomach, pneumonia, rheumatism, and in general those diseases which at bottom mean a poison imparted into the blood, most persons do not know and are slow to believe.” I LEAVE society a ruined character, wretched example, and a memory that will soon rot. I leave my parents during the rest of their life, as much sorrow as humanity in a declining state can sustain. I leave to my brothers and sisters as much mortification and injury as I could bring on them. I leave to my wife a broken heart, a life of wretchedness and shame, to weep over my premature death. I give and bequeath to each of my children, poverty, ignorance, and low character, and the remembrance that their father was a monster Temperance Movement in Cairo
A STRONG temperance sentiment is beginning to spring up among the foreign inhabitants of Cairo, Egypt, and an urgent request has been sent to England for an experienced worker to organize a temperance society for Egypt. Ale Consumption in Philadelphia
The yearly consumption of ale—a beverage which is, certainly, less used than many others—in Philadelphia alone amounts to 200,000 barrels, representing an expenditure by the consumers of $3,000,000. Dear's Water-wheel Adventure.
THE saw-mill and turning-shop where Harvey Gates passed his days was a charmed spot to his little daughter Dear. She loved to run down the hill and spring in at the open door to call her father to his dinner. She loved to see the glittering saw singing its way through the hard wood, and to watch her father as he stood at the turning lathe with a paper cap perched on his head, and see the chip-like shavings fly from his chisel and settle over and around him, till he looked not like a snow man, but like a chip man; his brown eyes looking steadily out under the fringe of shavings hiding his eyebrows. But best of all she loved to stand at the open window over the great water-wheel, and watch it going slowly and heavily round and round. The pond and milldam lay just above the shop, and the water came down in a high wooden trough, and then poured into the buckets set thick around the outside of the wheel; constantly coming up to be filled, and constantly going down to pour out thanklessly the water they had so bountifully received; ever coming and going ceaselessly round and round. When the pond was full, more than enough water to fill the buckets came down the trough, pouring in a bright cascade over the wheel, sending showers of spray in all directions. It was a great delight to toss handfuls of turning shavings over this cascade, and see them glide down and float away like fleets of ships on a turbulent stream. But in June and July the fussy brook that fed the pond grew shy and capricious, giving barely sufficient water to turn the wheel a few hours each morning; and when August came it hid away in still, dark pools overhung with alders and interlacing grapevines, leaving long stretches of its stony bed white and bare in the blazing sunshine. Then the great wheel stood still for days and weeks together. Then, if the children were very good, Dear was permitted to take Roundtop and Squaretop and Tiptop, and play keep house in the water-wheel. This would seem to be a queer place to keep house in, but its very charm consisted in its being a queer place. At such times the wheel was clean and dry. With a little assistance from Dear, Roundtop and Squaretop could clamber in, Tiptop could be lifted in, and as there was then no water under the wheel, if they tumbled out the tumble was of little consequence; indeed, it helped to diversify proceedings and to keep up a constant refrain of warnings on Dear's part. The stout, square arms of wood that stretched hither and thither across the interior of the wheel, were planted around the rims, leaving a clear space tightly boarded through the middle. Here Dear set her table and brought in bits of plank for seats, and fastened Tiptop so that he couldn't get away; and as the wheel was firmly poised, all the running and jumping and climbing failed to make it budge an inch. Roundtop and Squaretop climbed along the horizontal arms, and with bent pins fastened to strings, fished in the dry bed of the stream—and such trout and roach and shiners as they caught! One or the other were continually getting "bites," and taking off imaginary fish and putting them in imaginary baskets. Then Dear cooked them over an imaginary fire, and served them on imaginary plates. But oh dear! how hungry they were when their imaginary dinners were through! They usually ended by a stampede up to the house for thick slices of rye bread and butter that were anything but imaginary, and were eaten with great gusto out under the apple-trees. Directly after Dear's talk with her father, when she told him how she had tried to see God, he made this stipulation with her mother, that since it was necessary that Dear should have the care of the younger children, she should have one hour each day that should be absolutely free of care and responsibility. That hour should be her own, to spend in her own way, without question or comment; and he made it his business to see that the stipulation was carried into effect, till it became a habit with which no one of the household thought of interfering. Outside of that hour she was to do whatever was required of her cheerfully and promptly. No one could tell what a relief this arrangement was to Dear. The one hour became the golden hour of the twenty-four. Sometimes she spent it wandering up and down the brook that bounded the Gates' farm, northeasterly, till she knew every bend and turn, every clump of alders and shining pool, making friends with all the fishes therein. Sometimes she spent it in the belt of woods on the opposite side of the brook, learning, half unconsciously, wonderful wood-lore. But as she grew older, the hour was oftenest spent hidden in some solitary nook, book in hand, lost to all things else, till a sudden blast from the tin horn her father kept at the shop warned her that the hour had come to its end. Not unfrequently during the long, hot summer days the hour was passed in the water-wheel, lying where the curve of the wheel sloped upward, with one hand under her cheek, cool and quiet, and reading uninterruptedly on and on. She fell into this habit early one summer, while yet the pond yielded enough water to turn the wheel a few hours in the morning. While that was possible, there was always a leakage from the pond. The gate which shut down over the entrance of the trough being under water, and not strictly water-tight, a small portion would trickle through and run down to the wheel, slowly filling two or three of the topmost buckets, and when they were quite full the wheel suddenly turned half-way round, spilling the water out, and swaying slowly to and fro for a moment, the huge wheel regained its former poise, and stood waiting till more buckets filled, when the same operation was repeated again and again. Dear always knew by the tremulous vibratory motion when the wheel was losing its balance, and was ready to slide with it when the rush came. She liked that; it was better than sliding down hill, for there was no sled to drag up. She called the wheel her coach, and the buckets her horses; but she very well knew that her position would be a dangerous one if by any accident sufficient water should get into the trough to turn the wheel continuously. Escape between the revolving arms would be almost impossible, and she would soon become dizzy and exhausted in continually sliding with the turning wheel. For this reason she was careful to know that the wheel had stopped running for the day, before venturing within. But with all her caution she was one day caught. There had been a sharp shower the previous afternoon, and the pond had more than its usual supply for a July day, and after running till noon there was still sufficient water remaining to turn the wheel. The gate, however, was closed; and after dinner, Dear saw her father drive off with a wagon-load of bobbins for one of the cotton mills farther down the valley. Dear's mother was very busy, and Tiny, the new baby, was fretful, and Dear agreed to take her hour later in the day than usual. It was past four o'clock when Dear, book in hand, stole down to the silent mill. How cool and still it was there! How pleasant it was to hear the drip, drip, of the water into the buckets, which slowly filled, and at long intervals suddenly turned the wheel half around! It was pleasant to hear the trickling of the stream as it hastily scud away from under the wheel, but pleasanter still to lift her eyes from the page, and see the noiseless nestle of the birds hidden in the cool, green alders at the opposite side of the brook. But presently she grew absorbed in her book, and lost all consciousness of sight and sound, feeling, without thinking, the tremor of the wheel, and making ready for the rush as the buckets filled and went down from time to time. Meanwhile the hour drew to its close. Harvey Gates had returned, and was stepping around in the mill overhead. Dear did not hear him, even when he began to whistle, thinking, "There's water enough to saw this lumber to-night, and that will help out to-morrow," and away he went to the pond and lifted the gate. Dear felt the quivering of the wheel, and was ready for the turn half-way round, and the usual sagging to and fro; but somehow, when the wheel got half-way round, it forgot to stop, it kept on going quite round. That aroused Dear, and she started up to hear the rushing of the water as it came down the trough. The gate was raised, and the wheel was going swifter and swifter. She heard the sullen grind, grind of the cog-wheels that carried the driving-belt, and, a moment later, the sharp singing of the saw, as it struck the plank in her father's hands. She knew instantly what had happened; she knew she could not get out alive between the rapidly revolving arms of the wheel. She knew, too, that, shout ever so loud, she could not make her father hear. She thought of her mother and of the children up at the house; and then, growing faint and dizzy, she clutched with a desperate grasp one of the arms of the wheel as it struck her hands, and instantly felt herself borne up and up as the wheel swept over, and then remembered no more. Harvey Gates, whistling at his work, shoved aside the sticks of bobbin timber as they were eaten through by the saw, when suddenly, above his whistling and the singing of the saw, he heard shouted in his ear, "Shut the gate!" He started and looked over his shoulder, spoiling a strip of wood that went into the saw awry. There was no one to be seen, there was no one in the shop, and stooping, he picked up another plank for the saw, when he heard again "SHUT THE GATE!" The voice was strangely urgent and imperative. "Something is wrong," said he, as he sprang out of the shop, and running up to the pond, shut the gate. "What's the matter? what's wanting?" demanded he when he reached the mill again. There was no answer. He looked indoors and out. There was no one in sight. He made a thorough search of the premises with the same unsatisfactory result. There was no one in the mill but himself. He went back to his saw, perplexed and chagrined, for of late he was growing slightly deaf; there was a ringing in his ears, and he sometimes thought he heard voices when he was quite alone, and he grew impatient at the delusion. Never before had he been imposed upon to the extent of shutting his gate and stopping his work. Vexed with himself he turned to go up and raise the gate again, but as he turned, he looked out of the open window over the water-wheel. "The shower must have been severe north of us yesterday," said he, thinking of the increased water-flow which showed itself in the brook below the mill. Suddenly his eye caught something floating down the stream. Was it an open book? And what was that caught under the alders—a blue gingham sunbonnet? For an instant the man's heart stood still, and his breath came with a gasp; but the next moment he was around to the water-wheel, now quite motionless. Yes, there it was, just what he feared to see, a limp mass tumbled on the floor of the wheel. It took some time to unclasp the small arms clinging so desperately to one of the arms of the wheel; but at last it was done, and he carried Dear up and laid her on a pile of shavings in the shop, while hot tears rained over the still white face. "How can I take her to her mother?" he said; and then, as if the tears on her face or the sound of his voice aroused her, Dear moved, and slowly opened her eyes. "I'm all right, papa," she said, meeting his anxious face; and presently she added thoughtfully, and as if speaking to herself, "He heard me, I knew he would." "Who heard you?" asked her father, raising her in his arms to make sure that no bones were broken. "Jesus," said the child softly. "You see, papa, I knew I couldn't get out, and I knew I couldn't203 make you hear, and I thought I had got to die there; and then I remembered Jesus could hear, and when I caught the arm of the wheel I cried out, 'Lord Jesus, tell my papa quick!' And he told you—didn't he, papa?" Harvey Gates could not speak. Dear looked wonderingly in his startled, illumined face. After a moment, seeing that she waited for an answer, he said with unsteady lips: "Yes, dear, I think he did."—Sunday School Times. If I could only surely know
That all these things that tire me so
Were noticed by my Lord!
The pang that cuts me like a knife,
The lesser pains of daily life,
The noise, the weariness, the strife,
What peace it would afford! I wonder if He really shares
In all my little human cares,
This mighty King of kings!
If He who guides each blazing star,
Thro' realms of boundless space afar,
Without confusion, sound, or jar,
Stoops to these petty things! It seems to me, if sure of this—
Blent with each ill would come some bliss—
That I might covet pain,
And deem whatever brought to me
The loving thought of Deity,
And sense of Jesus' sympathy,
No loss but richest gain. Dear Lord, my heart hath not a doubt
But thou dost compass me about
With sympathy divine.
The love for me once crucified
Is not a love to leave my side,
But waiteth ever to divide
Each smallest care of mine.
—Sel. - A Chinese Consulate has been established in New York City.
- On Wednesday of last week 1,500 immigrants arrived in New York from Liverpool.
- The town of Bismarck has been selected as the permanent capital of Dakota Territory.
- During the month of May, the San Francisco police made 883 arrests for drunkenness.
- The census of 1880 gives 11,314 as the total number of periodicals published in the United States.
- What next? Turkey is said to be seeking a coalition with Russia against British influence in Egypt.
- There were 675 births in Oakland the past year, and the number of school children has increased 607.
- Philadelphia is having some opium-den experience, and her young men and women are being inveigled and ruined.
- The French have been defeated in Tonquin, and are sending reinforcements and growing enthusiastic over the war.
- The Baptist Church and some adjoining buildings in Virginia City were destroyed by fire on the 31st ult. Loss, $30,000.
- Storms last week did great damage in Shelby, Decatur, and Bartholomew Counties, Ind., and in Little Miami Valley, Ohio.
- The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union has organizations in three thousand towns and cities of the United States.
- Lynchburg, Va., had a great fire May 30, in which five persons lost their lives and over $300,000 worth of property was destroyed.
- Fifteen temperance sermons were preached in Oakland last Sunday evening. The coincidence was quietly brought about by the Good Templars.
- Yellow fever prevails to an alarming extent in Havana, and measures have been taken to quarantine against it in Gulf ports of the United States.
- During the twelve months ending March 31, there were 1,606 suicides in the United States, nearly double the number for the preceding twelve months.
- In 1790 one-thirtieth of the population of the United States lived in cities; 1880, ninety years later, the proportion living in cities was one-fourth.
- Mail and express time between Omaha and Ogden, on the Union Pacific, is to be shortened about ten hours. The distance is 1,082 miles and will be made in forty-four hours.
- Council Bluffs, Ia., has had a severe storm. All bridges down, many houses damaged, and hundreds of families driven from their homes in the vicinity, are the reported results.
- Three little girls in Winona, Minn., while on their way to Sunday-school, were struck by lightning and two of them instantly killed. The third recovered from the effects of the shock.
- The heavy emigration to Oregon and Washington Territory continues, 5,170 passengers arriving in Portland from San Francisco last month. The freight list is correspondingly large.
- The Paris Figaro is raising an alarm over the supposed secret alliance of Germany, Austria, and Italy. It considers this a scheme of Bismarck aiming at the segregation of French territory.
- Germany excludes American pork, and the papers are urging that America retaliate by excluding German beer. If this should be done it would show that both nations are unintentionally very sensible.
- The new Brooklyn Bridge has already been the scene of a disaster. On decoration day it became so crowded with passengers that fifteen persons were crushed to death, and many more were seriously injured.
- Difficulty has arisen between France and the Madagascar Government. French vessels have bombarded two ports on the northwest coast of Madagascar, causing great destruction of British merchandise and other property.
- Last Sunday the trains on the Housatonic Railroad were stopped by the Massachusetts authorities. The clergymen of Berkshire County presented petitions against running trains on Sunday, but the railroad company disregarded them.
- Decoration Day was more extensively observed throughout the country than ever before. This popular holiday bids fair to rival the Fourth of July, the scope of the ceremonies enlarging from the decoration of soldiers' graves to the remembrance of dead friends and relatives.
- At San Jose, Judge Belden has passed sentence on Jewell, Majors, and Showers, convicted of the murder of W. P. Renowden on the 19th of March. Jewell was sentenced to be hanged on the 27th of July. Majors and Showers were sentenced to the State Prison for the rest of their natural lives.
- A curious accident occurred recently to the Knoxville, Tenn., water works. The bottom of one of the reservoirs suddenly dropped out, emptying in five minutes 500,000 gallons of water into an immense cave beneath. The reservoir was on a very high hill, and the existence of the cave was never before suspected.
- A Washington dispatch of May 30 says: "The State Department has received telegraphic advices via Japan, that the ratification of the treaty between the United States and Corea has been exchanged at the Corean capital. This is the first treaty between Corea and a Western power, all the preliminaries of which have been fulfilled."
- Postmaster-General Gresham has issued the following general order: "Postmasters at first and second-class offices will hereafter give personal attention to the business of their office, and not absent themselves therefrom, without authority granted upon the written application to this Department. A violation of this order is deemed sufficient to cause a removal."
- Lord Charles William De-La-Peor Beresford, Commander of Her Majesty's gun-boat Condor, which won the chief laurels at the bombardment of Alexandria, has won the additional honor(?) of conquering Jem Mace, the champion pugilist. This last achievement adds tenfold to his fame, making his reputation world-wide. The contest was witnessed and applauded by the Prince of Wales, and many other aristocratic sportsmen.
Religious Notes.
By Editor
-There are now seventy Welsh Baptist Churches in this country, with an aggregate membership of about 1,000 persons. -It is reported that in the revival meetings in Springfield, O., that have just closed, over 1,000 persons professed to be converted. -Over 10,000 persons were in attendance at the yearly meeting of the German Baptists, or Dunkards, at Bismark Grove, Kan., last month. -It is now a generally accepted fact that the great lack of the theological seminaries is in not giving more thorough instruction in vocal culture. -It is stated on good authority that the expenses of the Archbishop of Canterbury, on his recent promotion to that position, amounted to $150,000. -The French State Council has decided that the Government is entitled to discontinue the salaries of church officials, including even the bishops. -Are there not many professors whose experience is somewhat similar to that of the man who testified in class-meeting that he had "been a Christian off and on for thirty years"? -Dr. Cuyler says: "A Christian who has no heart for doing good is not more than half converted." We think that he has put it too high; it is a question if such a person is converted at all. -It is said that Rev. E. M. Long, of Philadelphia has spent years in preparing courses of illustrated sermons. Large paintings on canvas are used, and afterward loaned to ministers who desire them. -The Churchman (Episcopalian) says: "There are thousands and thousands of people who have no thought of throwing away Christianity, but who, so far as any organized form of it is concerned, are all at sea as to what to believe in." -In a recent address the Bishop of Rochester declared that unless the church sets herself to stem the tide of intemperance, the building of churches may as well be stopped, as there will be no soil left in which to sow the seed of the gospel. -A movement has recently originated in Germany, called "The General Evangelical and Protestant Missionary Union," the object of which is to excite an interest in missions, to dissipate prejudices, and to bring about a better appreciation of the missionary cause. -The Sunday School Times says: "If a man really counts himself and all his possessions as the Lord's, he will be pretty sure to see that the Lord has at least one-seventh of his time and one-tenth of his income. If he falls short of this service, any talk he may make about his entire consecration is—all talk." -The Christian at Work says: "It is a shame that so many of our public buildings and works are monuments of shameless fraud and swindling. It sometimes seems that honesty is dying out of the American character, and that unscrupulosity and chicanery are taking the place once held by conscience." -A religious paper states that Protestantism is rapidly gaining ground in France, while Rationalism is beginning to die out. But it sometimes happens that even Protestantism is only another name for Rationalism, and we fear it may be the case in France. It is getting to be somewhat that way in this country. -It is stated that even the Quakers are to revise their standard of "Doctrine, Practice, and Discipline." Like other bodies, their theory is much more strict than their practice, and they revise the standard, so that when they compare themselves with it, they will seem to be all right. It is much easier to reform one's creed than his life. -The Christian at Work concludes a notice of a new novel, in these words: "It ends well, and is full of noble Christian sentiment, without obtruding religion on the reader's notice." Some persons are inconsiderate enough to put religion forward everywhere; but this one has kept it out of his novel. It is well; if it were put in, it would only spoil the novel for those who would read it, without helping the cause of religion in the least. -A dispatch from Rome says: "Peter's pence have continued to decrease so rapidly for the past few months that an appeal addressed to all the bishops is being prepared by the pope, urging them to awaken the faithful to the necessity of providing funds for the needs of the Holy See." The deficiency in funds is doubtless owing to the pope's interference in Irish affairs, which has caused much disaffection among Irish Catholics. They do not believe in the pope's infallibility, in temporal matters. -Dr. W. C. Gray, speaking of the report of the Committee on Collegiate and Academic Education, at the General Assembly of the Presbyterians, at Saratoga, says: "To put the whole thing in a nutshell, we are short about 800 ministers of the actual present demand. Our vacant churches and new mission fields would take that many more men than we have, and the number of candidates for the ministry is decreasing year by year, while the number of our churches is increasing. What is to be done?" ALEXANDER.—Died, in Portland, Oregon, Feb. 9, of blood-poisoning, Georgie D. son of David D. and Augusta T. Alexander, aged nine years, one month, and twenty-two days. Georgie appeared of good health till about the first of January, when he began to show signs of illness, from which time he gradually grew worse until the evening of Feb. 8, when he began to bleed at the nose and mouth, after which he passed through several hard convulsions when his frame seemed to be racked with pain. Thus he continued until the morning of the 9th, about 7:30, when death came to his relief. Georgie was an unusually attractive child, giving this early evidence of deep thought and even piety; often asking his father the reason for neglecting morning or evening prayer, when it was neglected, expressing a wish he would continue it as usual. Of a kind and gentle disposition, he would not return harsh words or deeds for those received from school-mates or others. As his little life went out, his last whispered words were to his heavenly Father in prayer, ending with this: “O Lord save my papa and my mamma, little sisters and little brother.” We earnestly hope this stroke of affliction will serve to draw them nearer to God, and cause them to strive to meet their dear child again; for we believe that in the morning of the resurrection, the lonely graveyard at Beaverton will be visited by angels to stand by the sleeping dust of some, who, accounted worthy of eternal life, will awake to immortal bloom; and Georgie will be one. J. G. HURLEY
By J. G. Hurley
WHITE.—Miss Nellie White, aged 23, daughter of Wm. White and Sister S. E. White, of Santa Rosa. Nellie met with a sudden and violent death. While riding from the house of her sister to the town of Nelson, the horse upon which she was seated became unmanageable, jumped to one side, and Nellie was thrown to the ground, striking on the back of her head and breaking her neck instantly. But a few days before she had written a letter to her parents, made up of bright hopes for the future; but alas! too soon the joy of these parents was turned to grief and bitter anguish. Elder Taft, of the Baptist Church, spoke words of comfort and consolation from Luke 8, commenting briefly on the case of the ruler's daughter, setting forth the hope that this same Jesus will raise Nellie to life eternal. Thanks are due our Baptist friends for the many acts of kindness on this trying occasion. A MINE OF INFORMATION.
By John Nevins Andrews
HISTORY OF THE SABBATH AND FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.
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 any text, or the statement of any historian. Should be read by everybody. 528 pp. Price, $1.25. Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. The Incarnation—Light Wanted.
By Editor
"I WISH a little light. Matt. 10 : 28; that which can be destroyed is not immortal. Christ died for our sins. 1 Cor. 15 : 3. He that existed before the world was, John 17 : 5, was made flesh, John 1 : 14; Heb. 2 : 14-16, died and was raised from the dead by the power of God, Rom. 1 : 4, and 8 : 11; to die no more; Rev. 1 : 18; Heb. 7 : 25. Now if the blessed Jesus was immortal before he came into the world, how was it possible for him to die in man's stead? 1 Pet. 3 : 18. I am told that it was only his human nature that died; but I ever thought that the pre-existent Son or Word was made flesh. Any help will be thankfully received.
"J. B. T." Your references are correctly made and your conclusion is doubtless correct; but your question no man can answer. We refer you to our work on "The Atonement" for full proof on the death of Christ, the Son of the living God. There is no question that the Word, that which was in the beginning with God, glorified with Him before the world was, and by whom He made the worlds, came down from Heaven and died for man. But how the incarnation was effected, how it was possible for the pre-existent Word to become flesh, no mind of man can conceive. It was this of which Paul said, "Great is the mystery of godliness." We can no more comprehend it than we can comprehend the mystery of creation, or of the self-existence and being of Jehovah. And we doubt whether, even in the ages of eternity, we will ever be able to comprehend such things. "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" Job 11 : 7. There will ever remain an awful mystery enshrouding the works and being of the Almighty, which no finite mind will be able to penetrate. Among the most inscrutable of his works will probably be found that of creation and the incarnation. Shall We Be Bible Christians, or Scientific Christians?
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
A CORRESPONDENT of the Christian Union, speaking of the new questions that are being raised in theological circles, says: "The church is amply equipped in scholarship to grapple with the problems and vindicate Christianity. Science has compelled new explanations of some passages, and there may be still other modifications in store for us." This was given, with approval, as the sentiment of an eminent clergyman of Hartford, Conn. The two points of the quotation are significant. First, the idea that scholarship alone is sufficient to grapple with and overthrow the objections that are raised against Christianity. Well did the apostle say that "knowledge puffeth up." It is safe to say that there is just as much scholarship in the world as there is in the church. Now if we depend on human wisdom alone, what better off are we than our opponents. The case of Stephen is in point. We are not to suppose that there were no learned men among those who disputed with him; men who were his equals in scholarship. And yet "they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake." Not because he depended on his learning, but because he had the Spirit of God, and besides this, he was "full of faith." Had he doubted the Scriptures in the least, or been willing to yield a portion of the ground to his opponents, he would have been overcome. And this brings to view the next point, viz., that "Science has compelled new explanations of some passages." Now who can remember hearing any popular preacher say that the Bible has compelled the modification of certain theories of science? Such a thing is unknown. We must conclude, then, that modern Christianity sets more store by science (so-called) than by the Bible. It matters not that the Bible is always consistent with itself, and always tells the same story, and that scientific men are not agreed with each other, nor with their own speculations of a few years ago. That all goes for nothing, but the Bible must agree with everything that is called science or else be ignored. Can such men really believe that the Bible is inspired, that they are willing to accept the conclusions of avowed infidels in preference to its teachings? And this is not the worst; they hold themselves ready to yield any other point. "There may be still other modifications in store for us." No doubt there will be, and in their loyalty to science they will gladly make them; and the multitude will blindly follow their leaders. What vagaries in religion may we not reasonably expect, when the word of God is so lightly regarded? It is a comforting thought to the humble disciple, that "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." The only hope of a pure Christianity is in humble obedience to the plain, simple word of God. "Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." Isa. 66:1, 2. E. J. W. Time of Camp-Meetings.
By Editor
MICHIGAN, Flint, ••••••••• 13-18
WISCONSIN, Portage, ••••••• 14-19
NORTH PACIFIC, Beaverton, ••• 20-26
MICHIGAN, Alma, ••••••••••• 20-26
MINNESOTA, Minneapolis, •••••• 21-26
DAKOTA, Parker, Turner Co., •• June 27 to July 2
TEXAS, Waxahachie, •••••••• July 13-23
VIRGINIA, New Market, ••••••• Aug. 2-7
OHIO, Galion, Crawford Co., •••••••• 15-21
MASSACHUSETTS, ••••••••••••••• 23-28
VERMONT, ••••••••••••••• Aug. 30 to Sept. 4
MAINE, Waterville, •••••••••••• Sept. 6-11
ILLINOIS, •••••••••••••••••••••• 11-18
NEBRASKA, •••••••••••••••••••• 19-25 Notices and Appeals
By Editor
Prof. Brownsberger will be in St. Helena next Sabbath, June 9. Prof. Ramsey will be in Salinas at the same time. See Bro. Benham's Appeal for the North Pacific Meeting, on the Sabbath-school page—257. To E. M. N.—Send your donation or offering to this office, and it will be applied as you direct. Sketches from the Life of Paul.
By Editor
THIS is the title of a book of 334 pages, just issued from this office. The writer, Mrs. E. G. White, is favorably known to all the readers of the SIGNS, and when we say that this book is written in the same interesting style as the articles from her pen, which appear from week to week on the first page of this paper, and the "Great Controversy," from which we have so frequently quoted, we need give it no further recommendation. We have given this book a thorough examination, and have no hesitation in pronouncing it a very valuable work. The history of Paul's life, from the time when he "made havoc" of the church until he was "offered up" as its chief representative, is traced in a clear and connected manner. Paul's allusions to himself in his epistles are connected with the record in the book of Acts in such a manner as to throw great light both on the epistles and the "Acts." But that which gives the book even greater value than its historical accuracy, is the lessons that are drawn from Paul's words, and the hardships which he endured, and their practical application to our own times. This is a marked feature of this book, and the instruction given in this way, is worth many times the price paid. Those who are studying the Sabbath-school lessons in the Youth's Instructor will at once recognize the importance of this book as an aid in preparing their lessons; and all who are interested in Bible study, or who wish to become informed as to the manner in which the first churches were established, will find this an invaluable help. Price, 80 cents. For sale at this office, and at the office of the Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich. It was our privilege to be in the College more than two weeks of the last part of the term just closed, and we have high hopes of the future of our school. We need not speak a word in commendation of the teachers engaged in it; their ability as educators is too well known to our people to require this. The pupils seemed to be pleased with their teachers, and all appeared to look upon the place as one of enjoyment as well as of labor. A wise course has been pursued by the Principal in forming two classes in the study of the Bible. One of these was composed of quite young persons; the other of those more advanced. By this means an interest has been created in the study of the Bible, which has extended through nearly all the school. These two classes were merged into one, making a class of about 45; besides these some adults outside the school joined it. To this class we gave a brief course of lectures on Bible subjects. With so great differences of age and attainments it was not expected that we could greatly benefit all the members, but we were much surprised at the general interest taken in these exercises. All followed the references in their note books, and some even of the younger members gave intelligent answers to questions on the lectures. It is hoped that the coming year will furnish a larger number of more advanced scholars, and that more urgent calls will be made for lectures on the Bible and its doctrines. The school has done more in this direction than was expected of it in its first year. If it is properly patronized there will be no lack of laborers in the cause in this Conference. The middle aged as well as the youth, who wish to labor in the cause of God, should attend the College for instruction and training. We are well satisfied with the situation and surroundings of the school. It was providential that the house in Healdsburg was obtained as it was.