The following was verified during my residence in the Holy Land, 1854–1861; Biblical manners are to be seen everywhere among the Arabs. They are proud of their descent from Abraham; they are proud of their language and of their conservatism. Their language contains nearly all the roots of the Hebrew, and is, in fact, Hebrew refined, with a verbal development bordering on the marvelous, it being a kind of out-branching tree beyond any other of the scintillations from Babel. A single root-word can be carried through its thirteen aboorwabs—doors—or conjugations, and spread out into eighteen hundred variations. The oneness and permanency of pronunciation are very remarkable. Its age and conservation of the past reminds one of the great pyramids and obelisks of Egypt; yea, when looked at as the museum of Biblical idioms and customs, you believe more firmly that “the word of the Lord endureth forever.”
Not any of the nations, whether Jew or Arab, name the days of the week, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, &c.; nor do they call the first day of the week Lord’s day, nor do they ever give to the seventh day the name Saturday. But this I noticed constantly: The notation of time is by hours—twelve hours for the night, and twelve hours for the day, and both are called a day, i. e., a complete or perfect day. The evening before the day belongs to that day, or the night precedes the day. Beginning with our Saturday night at sundown, they call it laylt-el-had—night of the first—the day being understood. Sunday night is called laylt-il-itneen—night of the second—the day being understood, and rarely if ever expressed. Those who carried watches I often saw winding and regulating them at sundown.
Never do they count the day from midnight to midnight, but always from sundown to sundown. The first hour of the night is one hour from and after sundown—and the first hour of the day-time is reckoned from and after the expiration of twelve complete hours of the night. The first hour of the morning of June 21, it will be seen, begins some time after sunrise, and so ending the twelve hours of the day precisely at sundown. When an evening appointment is made for a meeting, or business, the language used is “night of the First, night of the Second,” etc. The only exception is where the appointment or event is soon after sundown or in the early part of the evening, when the language is “such a day at evening;” but the former mode of speech is the general one; yet in no case do they understand the expression “the same day at evening” to mean that that evening belongs to that day, but to the day following.
In some Christian liturgies there may be read in Arabic: yom ir-rub: Day of the Lord, or Lord’s day, for the first day of the week. But Lord’s day is not known among the great mass of the people. Whether any of the missionaries are trying to change gradually the habits of the people in this respect I cannot say. In ecclesiastical life they do try to influence their converts to say yom ir-rub, Lord’s day; but I think they do not try their tongues at calling it Sabbath in Arabic, for that would make an awkward mess of it, for the reason (and which is very satisfactory to us) that the seventh day is known throughout Arabdom by yom es-sabt—or day of the Sabbath. Even from the mouth of the missionary you will hear as frequently yom es-sabt as yom el-itneen—day of the Sabbath—day of the Second, i. e., Monday.
The only exception to the Genesis’ mode of naming the days of the week is with the sixth day, which, since the rise of Mohammedanism, is called yom al-joumah, day of the assembly; vulgarly called in English the Mohammedan Sabbath. But Sabbath is a misnomer, and the idea of rest is not in joumah at all. The word means simply assembly, and the assembling of the assembly of the “Faithful” amounts to no more than an hour or two of prayer in the middle of the day of Friday, public and private business going on as usual during the rest of the day.
The following are the names of the days of the week as used by the Arabs and all who speak their language:—
Ay-yam al-usbooah.
Days of the week.
Literally, Days of the Sevens.
Al-a-had, The First,
Al-itneen, The Second,
Ab-telate, The Third,
Al-arbah, The Fourth,
Al-khamees, The Fifth,
Al-joumah, The Assembly,
As-sabt, or Es-sabt, The Sabbath.
As before stated, when first, second, and third are spoken the word for day precedes in this form—day of the first—day of the Sabbath.
Another thing which it is well for all Christian Sabbath-keepers to remember is, that neither the word seven nor any other name is given by the Arabs to the Sabbath day. It is always the Sabbath; and the reason for it, they say, is, that this has been its name from the beginning. The very name for our word week the sevens, is suggestive that it would be an offense to their sense of the sacredness of names, and of the order of antiquity, as well as a literary blunder, to call the seventh day of the sevens by another name than that of the Sabbath. Often have I seen them shrug the shoulder at the bare mention of the change made by the ahl-er-room—the people of Rome—Romans, in the reckoning of time. The Arabs affirm of their own method of dates and names that it is from old, old, OLD time, meaning from the beginning.
Great changes are said to be going on in Syria and Palestine, but I think they are chiefly of a kind not likely to affect this style of speech, nor to obliterate God’s order of noting time. It is exceedingly interesting to hear those descendants of faithful Abraham chat about hours, days, weeks, months, and years, and indeed about everything that pertains to their every-day life. So ingrained is nature’s work, so permanent is their language, so established are their home customs, that to contemplate a change in their notation of time, I sooner expect the return of the Jews to that land than anything of the kind.
While looking at and listening to them, I was often reminded of Topsy—they were “not brought up,” they “growed!”
Added to the above, mention should be made of the fact that the Italians, in their daily life, called the seventh day, Sabbath, and so long as Protestants are allowed to apply Dominica to the first day, they will not trouble themselves about changing Sabbati to Saturne. After all, the work of polluting by an idol’s name the day appointed by God as a testimony against idolatry, belongs to the neighbors of Rome on the north and west, the English-speaking peoples included. Lord, “turn to the people a pure language!” If it is his will, let it be Arabic, a tongue containing two hundred thousand words, and spoken by a hundred million people. It is poetic, euphonic, of simple construction, very sublime, imaginative, given to the laconic, and yet capable of a marvelous amplification of expression. And as to zeal—“a hot language,” as my teacher used to say. While almost every civilized western hand has been employed to rob the holy day of God of its proper name, the “hand” that has been “against every man” has preserved and still maintains its grasp in keeping the name SABBATH in its proper God-given place, and to its own seventh day.
WILLIAM MEAD JONES.
London, Nov. 24, 1874.
The Mercy-seat.
EDITOR OF SIGNS:
Not long since, I heard a minister state, while speaking on the Sabbath question, connected with the doctrine of the "Sanctuary," as taught by S. D. Adventists, that Christ is our "mercy-seat," and referred to Heb. 9:5, where the Greek word ilasteerion is rendered mercy-seat, also to Rom. 3:25, where, he said, the same word was incorrectly rendered propitiation, but should be mercy-seat. The speaker thought this a strong point. What shall be done with it?
Santa Clara, Cal., Jan. 7, 1875.
Reply. In the past dispensation the priest sprinkled blood upon the mercy-seat and before the mercy-seat. If Christ is the mercy-seat, who is the priest that sprinkles blood upon him? It seems to me such a doctrine would make room for the claim of Catholics in the work called "The Glories of Mary" where they claim that she is "co-redeemer" and "co-mediator," officiating for us before Christ.
Paul calls the furniture of the earthly sanctuary "patterns of things in Heaven." Heb. 9:23. Of the priest themselves he says, "who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things." Heb. 8:5. Of Christ the great high priest for us he says, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true." Heb. 9:24. Where in the figure, shadow, example or pattern do we have an instance of the high priest sprinkling blood upon himself, if not, how can he be called the mercy-seat?
Relative to the Greek word ilasteerion, I will quote from the criticism of a Greek scholar, as recently published in the columns of the Advent Review. He says of the word rendered mercy-seat in Heb. 9:5, "it is not ilasteerion or ilasteerios, but hilasteerios, an adjective. In Rom. 3:25, it is in the masculine gender, agreeing with Christ, in which case it means an expiatory sacrifice, and in Heb. 9:5, it is in the neuter gender, in which case it means the mercy-seat, the cover of the ark. From this use of the word, Greenfield, in his lexicon, gives two words, on hilasteerion, neuter, meaning the 'cover of the ark, the mercy-seat,' Heb. 9:5, the other hilasteerios masculine, 'one who makes expiation, a propitiator, or propitiatory sacrifice, Rom. 3:25.'"
From this you will see there is no ground for the claim set up that Christ is the antitype of the mercy-seat, but he is the antitype of the priests who sprinkled the blood upon the mercy-seat. He has gone into the heavens and by virtue of his own precious blood he makes atonement on the mercy-seat, over God's law, which the sinner has violated.
J. N. L.
Report of First Quarterly Meeting of State T. & M. Society of California.
By John Norton Loughborough
THE first business session was at the close of the Sabbath, Jan. 2, 1875. Eight of the nine directors were present. Meeting called to order by the President, and opened with prayer by Bro. Canright. The State Secretary being necessarily absent, Bro. J. W. Bond was chosen secretary pro tem. Remarks were made by the President on the importance of the T. & M. work, and how that work can be harmoniously and systematically carried forward. As this was merely a preliminary session, remarks were made concerning points that should be deliberated upon by the directors in the quarterly meeting.
Second session, Jan. 3, at 9 A. M. Prayer by Bro. Judson. Report of the last meeting, being the State missionary meeting, was read and accepted. Report of the workings of the society for the quarter ending Jan. 1, was read, but not adopted as it was incomplete, not containing any report of district No. 7, which was made in connection with the State quarterly meeting; and district No. 1 had made no report. After adding to it the report of district No. 7, it read as follows:
Families visited, 135; No. letters written, 134; No. new subscribers for the Review, 30; No. new subscribers for the Signs, 105; No. new subscribers for Instructor, 45; No. subscribers for Reformer, 31; No. Reviews distributed, 129; No. Signs distributed, 66; No. Instructors distributed, 94; No. Reformers distributed, 35; No. books furnished to libraries, none; No. books loaned, 49; No. pages of tracts and pamphlets loaned, 19,054; value of tracts and pamphlets loaned, $17.11; No. pages of tracts and pamphlets given away, 36,070; value, $30.06.
The subject of the extension of the circulation of our periodicals and especially the Signs of the Times next came before the Board. Considerable enthusiasm was manifested over the subject of increasing, by all lawful means, the list of subscribers to the Signs. The executive committee of the State Conference being present, acted in harmony with the directors on all matters pertaining to the Signs.
It was voted that Elders Loughborough and Canright be requested to prepare a small supplement to place in each copy of the Signs of the Times distributed calling attention to terms, and requesting subscriptions to the same.
Voted that members avail themselves of the use of directories and other means of obtaining names, to whom single copies of the Signs containing supplement can be sent, calling attention and soliciting subscriptions, either paid or free, on trial.
Voted by the society to purchase of the Conference back numbers of the Signs, at cost, to be distributed, as above, with other reading matter.
Voted by directors and Conference officers, to make the following terms on the Signs, and to advise solicitors of subscriptions to act accordingly: 1. Obtain all yearly subscribers possible at $2.00 per year, or 52 numbers; 2. Next try for six months subscribers, at $1.00 for six months, or for 26 numbers; 3. at 50 cents for three months, or 13 numbers. Or, next, if there are any candid persons whom you think might be benefitted by reading and who are not ready to pay a subscription price, obtain their consent to read the paper for three months on trial, with the understanding that they can have the opportunity of subscribing if they wish after reading 13 numbers. In this case, if the names are furnished through the channels of the district secretarys, the postage can be drawn from the missionary funds, unless the person receiving wishes to advance five or ten cents for the same.
The subject next considered was the propriety of having an ornamental letter head printed for the use of some of our missionary officers. It was voted that 2,000 sheets be ordered from Battle Creek by the President with an appropriate device and letter head, something similar to a sample shown, used by the New England T. and M. society.
The matter next came up of having envelopes printed that should advertise the Signs, and our publishing house on the Pacific coast. It was voted that the President order 5,000 envelopes printed at Battle Creek for this purpose.
Third business session, Jan. 3, at 2 P. M. The first of this session was occupied by district No. 7, in attending to their district business, and then the State quarterly meeting resumed business. A motion was made and carried, requesting that a list of subscribers to the Signs of the Times in the various districts be furnished to the directors to enable them to ascertain through the co-operation of the officers and missionary members, who of the trial subscribers who have not paid, wish to pay on the periodicals, and who that is receiving them without price are reading with profit. When these lists are sent out, instructions will be sent how to proceed in each district.
At this point in the meeting, Bro. Judson, director of district No. 1, announced his intention of moving soon from district No. 1 to San Diego county, Cal. He tendered his resignation as director of district No. 1, and Bro. T. M. Chapman, of Petaluma, was nominated as director of district No. 1, and was elected both by a unanimous vote of the directors and missionary members present.
Bro. Charles Chittenden, director of district No. 9, appointed Bro. Judson as librarian and business agent for the Sabbath-keepers in the vicinity of San Diego, who may be induced to become members of the State T. and M. Society.
Voted to furnish the business books of such T. and M. officers, as choose to accept them, from the missionary fund.
Voted, by the directors, that bound volumes of our standard works and the Hygienic Family Physician be placed in the libraries of Woodland and Salinas City, Cal., according to their request.
Voted that the next State quarterly meeting be held with the Napa church, the first Sabbath and first-day in April, and that the arrangement of the time and places of the district quarterly meetings, except in district No. 3, be left with the President.
The matter of widow, orphan and poor fund was discussed, but as there was seen no cases demanding a special move in that direction at present, it was laid over till the next State quarterly meeting.
Meeting adjourned.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, President.
J. W. BOND, Sec. Pro tem.
Only Two.
ONLY two ways. One broad, the other narrow; one leads to destruction, the other to life; many go by the one, few by the other. Which is your way?
Only two sorts of people. Many sorts in man's opinion—many societies, classes, sects, denominations. Only two in God's sight—the righteous and the wicked, the wheat and the chaff, the living and the dead. Which are you?
Only two deaths—the death of the righteous, and the death of the wicked. Which do you think you will die? Which do you wish to die? Which would it be if you were to die this moment?
Only two sides at the day of judgment—the right hand and the left. Only these two. Those on the right hand will be blessed—“Come, ye blessed of my Father.” Those on the left hand will be cursed—“Depart, ye cursed.” All must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive the things done in the body, whether good or bad. What word shall be spoken to you? On which side of the throne will you stand?
It requires a little time and patience for all to understand the missionary work in its various branches; but when we see an anxious desire, as was manifested at our State quarterly meeting just passed, on the part of officers, directors, and members to learn how to do their duties effectively and harmoniously, we are encouraged to do all we can on our part by the way of counsel and instruction. We are thankful that we are not wandering on ground unexplored, but that Bro. Haskell and others who have so effectively proved the problem of missionary work in the Eastern field, can assist us in counsel and instruction.
The True Missionary, published last year, will assist us on many points, and we shall take the liberty to draw from its pages for this department of the Signs. In No. 4 of that periodical, Bro. Haskell says of the missionary work: "The object of the missionary work should always be kept before the mind. It is to save souls for whom Christ died. It is not simply to see how many tracts can be distributed, but with the distribution to see how much good can be accomplished, how much prejudice can be removed, and how many become interested in the truth.
"Efforts may be put forth even in tract distribution that will do more harm than good. If the individual that hands out the reading matter is uncourteous, this will tell against the truth. If the lives of those who visit from house to house are a disgrace to the cause, they cannot leave a proper influence.
"Those most successful in tract distribution will be, 1. Those who get the heart so imbued with the Spirit of God and love for souls that their own ease and comfort are cheerfully sacrificed for the good of others. 2. Those who, when in conversation upon the subject of truth and religion, are prepared to hand out that tract which is best adapted to the minds of those with whom they have conversed. 3. Those who understand that the conversation should not be to debate some doctrinal point, but to call the attention of the individual to the subject of religion, and who, then, let the tract do the advocating of the doctrinal point.
"Be careful that all your deportment is unexceptionable. You should be of that class 'in whose eyes a vile person is contemned;' and by kind acts with a tender heart you will obtain access to the hearts and consciences of men. Then upon the reputation thus obtained you can recommend the truth.
"The heart should first be softened by the love of Christ before it is fit to labor for others. We should first have an experience in the things of God. A stream will rise no higher than the fountain. And if the soul has never drawn draughts from salvation's well, how can we impart that salvation to others? If the rays of light from Heaven do not shine into our own hearts, they cannot be reflected upon others. Therefore the scattering of the reading matter is a means to bring about a certain end, and not the end itself.
"A person might stand in the public highways and hand out a tract to every passer-by without note or comment. We do not say but some might be reached in that manner; but we are not prepared to say that we think the time has come for a move of that kind to be made. It should ever be remembered that judicious labor is one object of the system of tract distribution; and another object is to bring every true lover of the cause of truth into a position where he can do something to help forward this cause. More important moves are to be made in the future than have as yet been made, by way of distributing reading matter, and the importance of a system where each Conference, and all parts of the Conference, can make the same efforts at the same time will be more fully realized when these are undertaken. In fact, unity of action is indispensable. This cause is one, and it is the angel of God that is leading the people of God forward. Therefore to understand his leading, and to take those steps that will tell for the general interest of the cause of God is of the utmost importance."
I would say of the above, these are most wholesome words, and worthy of being carefully pondered by all our readers and missionary workers.
J. N. L.
Instructions.
By John Norton Loughborough
In past numbers of the SIGNS we have given some instructions, and we design to continue this from time to time that all may understand the workings of the system in its various branches. When a person sees the object to be gained in taking a certain course, they more readily apply their minds to master the means of gaining that object in order that they may work toward the desired good. Before advancing with duties of other officers it may shed some light to quote what Bro. Haskell says in True Missionary No. 2, relative to the duties of presidents of T. and M. Societies.
"It is expected that the president will understand the entire working of the tract society in the Conference to which he belongs; that he will know at all times what is going on in each district, and will bestow his labor more especially in those districts where it is most needed, in order to keep up an interest in every enterprise connected with the cause of God. And the larger the Conference, the more responsible is his position, and the more necessary that he should be in the field. He should be in constant correspondence with the secretary, as the secretary in keeping the books will be able to give many particulars which he would not otherwise have the means of knowing.
"The prosperity of every tract society depends very much upon union of action. I do not believe that any tract society can prosper unless this is the case. Each district should be engaged in the same enterprise at the same time. A united and harmonious effort should be put forth in every advance step taken. It is where we all lift together that the cause moves. It is therefore the duty of the president to see that this is the case. He must be on the field of action at such places where there is the greatest lack of interest, to give such instruction as will assist the directors in carrying out the object of the society. Also he should examine the books of the district secretary and see if they are properly kept. And through the directors he can learn whether all are promptly paying Systematic Benevolence as they should. He should also make inquiry if there are not some worthy poor who have not the periodicals, as SIGNS and Reformer. There are many times when personal influence will be needed in each district, in bringing about that uniformity of action which is necessary for the prosperity of the society. It will be nothing strange if there should be some discouraging circumstances to meet. But there is no room for discouragement in a cause like this in which all Heaven is interested, and when God himself has ordained it shall prosper. It is for us to do our duty in the fear of God, and leave the results with him.
"If those who have borne the burden and heat of the day could have courage when there were scarcely any friends of the cause on earth, and when they had no financial resources to back them up, nor scarcely any publications to carry into new fields, what will be said of us who really know nothing of hardships and privation, if we get discouraged while every S. D. A. Conference in the country is anxious to work for God if they can have proper instruction.
"It is a privilege to take responsibilities and bear burdens in a cause like this. Therefore no president of any tract society should think of resting satisfied until each district in his Conference is making one united effort to carry out the purposes and object of this work."
Brethren and sisters, members of the Cal. T. and M. Society, as president of your society I hold myself ready to instruct, counsel, encourage and help in every way possible, and to carry out, as far as possible, what Bro. Haskell has plainly told us should be done, and I expect on your part hearty co-operation. I shall illustrate in this paper, as far as possible, the points which now especially interest us; namely, how each in our office shall go about our duties, and properly keep our books.
I made some black-board illustrations before the board of directors with explanations, which, by request, I place in this paper. Explanations which instruct both the eye and mind at the same time are most effective and lasting.
The question with secretaries, librarians and business agents is to know the nature of the business they are expected to do, how they are to do it, and with whom they are to do it. The work commences with the General Missionary Society, or rather with it and the publishing houses with which it is connected. At the yearly session of the General Society I suppose it will expect from our State Secretary a report of the workings of our society embracing a summary of its workings for the year.
Our State Missionary Secretary is the person through whom all our credit business on the periodicals at Battle Creek should be done. The reason of this is they charge the business to the State missionary society of California; if the business is all carefully done with one person here it will be kept straight, and confusion will be avoided. The State secretary looks to the district secretaries for these items of business; so if any district has business to do on the periodicals at Battle Creek business should be sent to the secretary of that district, and he sends it to the State secretary. You can see that by this means the business of each district is done through one person; and it is easier for the State secretary to keep his cash account with the respective districts straight. The district secretary gets his items of business on periodicals from the business agent of each church, while the business agent of each church gets his business items from the individual members of his church. This matter we will illustrate with the following diagram:
Diagram Illustrating T. and M. Work.
A, Publishing house at Battle Creek. B, our State Secretary. C, D, our district secretaries, of which we have nine. E, F, G and H, represent the librarians and business agents of each church. The dotted lines, a, b and c, represent the individual members who wish to do business through the T. and M. Society, with the publishing house at Battle Creek.
Suppose a, or b, or any other member represented by the dotted lines, wish to pay a subscription on the Review, Reformer, or Instructor, they go to E, their business agent, give him the name and post-office address, pay him the money stating distinctly the length of time they expect their money to pay. E, the business agent sends this subscription to C, the district secretary, requesting him to charge it to that church, and forward the name to the State secretary. C, on receiving said name forwards it to B, the State secretary, requesting that it be forwarded to Battle Creek and that B, charge the same to the district for which C is secretary. B, the State secretary, forwards the same to Battle Creek, requesting that it be charged to the Cal. State T. and M. Society.
Thus the general publication office does all its business in each State with one person. Our State Secretary, B, does her business with each district through one person, the district secretary. The district secretary does all his business on the periodicals with the business agents of the churches in his district.
The question may now arise, How about the money for the periodicals? It should be paid by the individual member to the business agent before he sends on the account to the district secretary. The business agent should pay all the money received for periodicals or other T. and M. enterprises under his jurisdiction to the director before the close of the quarter. The directors should carry the money belonging to the State Treasury to the State quarterly meeting with an account of the same, which account should agree with the items sent to the State secretary by the said district. If this course is pursued it can be told at the State quarterly meeting how the account of the State stands with the Office at Battle Creek, or how the account of each district stands with the State treasurer. After an auditing of the accounts by the directors present they can draw orders on the State treasury for the payment of these accounts. All accounts of the churches with the district, of the districts with the State, and of the State with the publication office at Battle Creek should be squared up each quarter.
But some may ask, Why all this? why not let each one who pleases do credit business with the office at Battle Creek, and have it charged to the State? Because in three months the account would be so tangled up that, to use an old adage, "a Philadelphia lawyer could not straighten it out." With the way we here recommend you can all see that the account is kept straight all the time, and will balance as nicely at the close of the quarter as the balance sheet of a bank.
The credit business done by any of the districts in this State with the office of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES should be done through the district secretaries. The account of one district in this State has already got into confusion, with only one month's operation, because of no system in their manner of doing the credit business. Had it not been that the SIGNS' office, in making the charge to the district, has, fearing confusion, taken the precaution to put down each item of business, it would have been a puzzle to solve.
Of course these regulations on subscribers relate to credit business only. Those who wish to do business with either the SIGNS' office or the Review office, and send specie by express, drafts or postal orders by mail to the amount of their business can do their own business on the periodicals. I trust as we learn and put in practice this T. and M. system we shall see and realize its beauty and efficiency.
J. N. L.
Questions and Answers.
By J. N. L.
Bro. H. H. S., district No. 8, says, I only made a memoranda relative to three books, and I am aware that I am required as secretary, to keep four. Will you explain the name and nature of this fourth book which you called a business book?
Reply. Your question is in part answered in the last number of the SIGNS but, I see from your question, and questions from others, that there is danger of confounding books three and four, so I will state still further concerning them. You will see in last SIGNS I have given quite explicit directions and illustrations of book number three. I think from that you will understand the nature of the book. I see you had the same impression concerning the credit page that some others had; that the church is to receive credit for tracts, pamphlets, and other reading matter distributed. That is not so. Their quarterly reports show what has become of their reading matter.
The credits relate to all moneys received by the church for members of the T. and M. Society in that church, money received for book sales, for donations to the society, and all money received for periodicals sent by the district secretary to the publication office of the SIGNS, or to the general publication office at Battle Creek through the State secretary as illustrated above.
As before stated, the business agent of each church should pay all money received for periodicals to the director, and immediately send the business to the district secretary. The district secretary will charge these subscriptions to the church from which they come, and send the business for SIGNS' office to its destination, and that for Review office to the State secretary as illustrated before.
Now as to the nature of your fourth book. It is a list of subscribers from each church for our various periodicals sent through you to the SIGNS, or to the State secretary for Review office. While your cash book, "number three," contains the charge, with date and amount, your business book contains the exact items on each subscription. I will here insert an illustration of the manner in which I should keep such a book, as follows:
Business with SIGNS' office or State secretary (as the case may be). Dist. No. 8, letter No. 1.
San Jose, Jan. 20, 1875. To the Secretary of Cal. State T. and M. Society. Sister Bush: Item (1). Send Review one year to John Jones, Gray Hawk, Jackson Co., Ky. Credit for the same, $2,00. Item (2). Send Reformer one year to the same name and address, $1.00.103Item (3). Credit Tom Ables (one year) on Instructor now going to Greene, Lancaster Co., Pa., 50cts.
You can then say for your own information on the business book: These three items were received from the Santa Clara church, Jan. 18, 1875, and are charged to them on my cash book at that date. Perhaps you have other items from San Jose for the same letter. You can continue your numbers as follows:
Item (4). Send Tidende one year to August Rasmussen, Wilsleff, Sogn Pr Ribe, Denmark, post. paid, $1.48. Item (5). Send Svensk Advent Harald one year to Hans Peterson, Reno, Nevada, $1.00. Item (6). Credit on Review now going to James Dillinbach, Kokomo, Ill., for one year, $2.00.
You can then minute, for your own reference, that these three items were from Santa Clara, Jan. 12, and are charged at that date on my cash book, &c. The six or more items simply you would forward to the State secretary, requesting her to forward them to Battle Creek, and charge to district number 8, and to send you a duplicate of the business, which will be a guarantee to you that the letter was received by her and the business all properly entered upon her business book.
Out of orders of this character received by the State Secretary, she can make up a letter for Battle Creek, numbering her letter, and numbering the items, and making a minute on her book, showing what district the items are from, and charging on her cash-book the amount to each respective district. As she forwards the business letter to Battle Creek, she receives in return a duplicate, showing that the business is properly attended to. Battle Creek office charges the amount of each letter to the Cal. State T. and M. Society.
When the director of any district pays to the State T. and M. Treasurer the money on subscriptions, he should immediately forward a statement of the fact, and the amount paid, to the district secretary, that he may give credit accordingly to the respective churches in that district from which the director has received it. If it pertains to the publication office at Battle Creek, the district secretary should forward a statement of the same to the State secretary, in order that she may give credit to the respective districts for the same. When the money is drawn from the State treasury and applied on the account at Battle Creek, the fact will be reported to the State secretary, so that she can charge it on the account with the Review Office.
J. N. L.
Sinner's Invitation.
Will you go, sinner, go to the highland of heaven?
Where the storms never blow, and the long summer's given;
Where the bright, blooming flowers are their odors emitting;
And the leaves of the bowers, in the breezes are flitting.
Where the rich, golden fruit is in bright clusters pending,
And the deep-laden boughs of life's fair tree are bending,
And where life's crystal stream is unceasingly flowing,
And the verdure is green, and eternally growing.
Where the saints robed in white—cleansed in life's flowing fountain,
Shining beauteous and bright, they inhabit the mountain;
Where no sin nor dismay, neither trouble nor sorrow,
Will be felt for a day, nor be feared for the morrow.
Look by faith to the Cross, and behold Jesus bleeding,
Then, ascended on high, at the throne interceding,
O secure pardon now, while sweet mercy's extended,
Ere the harvest is past and the summer is ended.
Now while pardon's last hour is expiring in heaven,
And the last gracious call is on earth being given,
O haste! sinner haste! leave thy sinful behavior,
The commandments embrace and the faith of the Saviour.
He's prepared thee a home—sinner, canst thou believe it?
And invites thee to come—sinner, wilt thou receive it?
O come, sinner, come, for the time is receding,
And the Saviour will soon and forever cease pleading.