The Signs of the Times, Vol. 8, No. 34; Special Edition, No. 1
Humility Before HonorPage 1
Earlier text: A Dead Shot on Sabbatarians!It is well known that the Sunday people of California have a standard name for the Sunday Law. It is a “police regulation,” a “sanitary measure.” The Sunday is the “American Sunday,” the “American Sabbath,” and the “Working-man’s Sabbath.” Great pains have been taken to hide the religious nature of the contest now going on. Judges and ministers of the gospel, have declared that the Sunday Law is not a law in favor of religion. They have solemnly repeated the statement that the law is purely secular, and that its enforcement would neither help nor hinder any man’s religion. The idea that the present Sunday agitation savors in the least of a union of church and State has been scouted. But now comes the California Christian Advocate with an appeal to Christian women to use their influence in favor of Sunday. In this appeal it says: “The action of the Democratic State Convention at San Jose is a most alarming and ominous assault upon the very foundations of our holy religion.” “The women—wives, mothers, sisters, daughters—are especially involved in this attack upon the foundations of our very homes and our holy religion.” (Italics ours.) Now what is the matter? Is not the Advocate frightened at a bug-bear? We have been repeatedly assured that a strict enforcement of the Sunday Law would not disturb our religious rights in the least. Then how could its repeal have an unfavorable effect upon the foundations of the Advocate’s religion. Its religion must be of a different kind from that of Paul. His was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.” Eph. 2:20. The Advocate’s “holy religion” seems to be founded upon a “police regulation”—a very shaky foundation. Such a foundation might easily be “removed.” We advise our friends to dig deeper and build of more substantial material. But we are not left to conjecture that this “police regulation” is the sole ground of the Sunday part of their “holy religion.” In the Advocate of March 1, the following language was used in regard to the Sunday: “When we plead for a law for it as a day of rest, we can justify that only on the ground that it is according to the law of nature and necessary to man. . . . We cannot sustain it before the people, if we claim its sanctity as a religious institution.” We agree with this statement. We know, as well as the Advocate does, that Sunday has no sanctity as a religious institution. The civil law is the only authority for its observance. It is a part of our work to teach this to the people, and we are glad to have the Advocate teach the same thing. We say we are glad; but we are surprised that the Advocate should be willing to admit the fact that its “holy religion” and the restriction of Chinese immigration are both on the same foundation. We prefer a religion for which we can give Bible proof. But the Advocate shows the real nature of the issue. The contest is one about religious ceremonies and not about civil rights. The law is given under the head of “Offenses Against Religion,” and is a civil enactment discriminating in favor of somebody’s religion. As such it is contrary to the principles of the American Government. Should it be repealed, the working-man would still have his legal holiday—to be used for rest and worship if he so desires—for that is guaranteed by the civil code. As we have before said, The law is not a temperance law; it bears no harder on the whisky men than it does upon merchants and bankers. Neither is it a “working-man’s law;” if it were abolished, the working-man would have just as many rights as he now has. But it is a law in favor of a form of religion; and in acknowledging this, the Advocate shows that it is out of harmony with the “machine;” for the policy is to delude people with the idea that somebody’s civil rights are in danger, and thus blind them as to the real point—the union of church and State. But it will take a good deal of drilling to get all to work together harmoniously, for consistency is something that has never yet been shown by the advocates of Sunday observance. HAST THOU GLEANED TO-DAY?
By Dr. C. R. Blackall
The shadows are falling,
Swift closeth the day,
I hear a voice calling,
It seemeth to say:
Oh, soul! hast thou gleaned well to-day?
In the world's harvest field,
With its full precious yield,
Has it vainly appealed,
Oh, soul! hast thou gleaned well to-day? The day is departing,
The darkness is here;
Ah! why am I starting,
While heart beats with fear,
Soul! hast thou gleaned well to-day?
In the world's busy throng,
Hast thou failed to be strong,
Weakly yielding to wrong,
Oh! hast thou not gleaned to-day? The light is appearing,
The darkness is gone,
For Jesus is nearing,
And tender his tone;
Oh, soul! in my might glean each day!
When the harvest is o'er
Shall be joy evermore,
If the sheaves at thy door
Shall say, thou hast well filled thy day?
—Dr. C. R. Blackall. Encouragement for Missionaries.
By N. C. McClure
Mr. A—— was furnished with the Signs and tracts by some missionary workers. After reading, he became convinced, and journeyed several hundred miles to learn more of the truth. He is now fully established, and goes to carry the message to others. S—— came to the Sacramento mission last winter. He was furnished with reading matter, and has since attended the tent-meeting, and has now gone to carry the message to friends in a neighboring State. Mr. and Mrs. B——, living in a part of the country far away from any of our people, were furnished with the Signs and tracts. After careful investigation they have commenced observing the Lord’s Sabbath, and expect to attend our fall camp-meeting. M—— and wife were traveling; a missionary gave them tracts and loaned them books; after careful reading they were convinced, and are now keeping the Sabbath of the Lord. A missionary called on B——, and found him willing to know truth, but fully persuaded that “Sunday is the Lord’s day.” His willingness to investigate, and the Lord’s blessing, brought him into the light, and he now rejoices in present truth. Mrs. C—— was handed some tracts, and the Signs was sent her. She became fully convinced, and herself and three children are now keeping the Sabbath of the Lord. Mrs. S—— has long been a believer in the soon coming of the Lord—was invited to the tent by a friend, and decided very soon to obey God’s commandments, and is now rejoicing in the promises. A missionary sent nine copies of the Signs to parties in a neighboring city. After sending three copies, they were visited, and four out of the number were found willing to read and interested in the papers. Among the number was a Jewish family. Signs were sent and letters written to parties in the East. After several months silence, word came that the papers were read with pleasure, and the pieces much appreciated. If we do not see fruits of our labors directly, let us not grow weary. “Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” Jas. 5:7. Hollister, California.
By G. D. Ballou; A. Borsen
OUR attendance is small and fluctuating, but we are cheered by seeing a few honest souls move out to obey the present truth. Three more have acknowledged their faith in the near coming of the Lord and their purpose to keep all the commandments, and to prepare for that event. Still another at Salinas has decided to go with us. We look for others here. Precious souls are being gathered to share the glories of the kingdom. Expect to be at Salinas on Sabbath, the 16th. G. D. BALLOU, A. BORSEN. Sept. 1, 1882. Stayton, Oregon.
By Chas. L. Boyd; E. W. Barnes
We closed our meetings here last Sunday evening, and have moved the tent to Scio, where one of us, with Bro. Raymond, will commence meetings this evening. The calls for the living minister far exceed our ability to meet the openings of Providence. While moving the tent to Scio, an urgent petition was received to go in another direction. Oh for more reapers, clothed with an unction from on high, to go into the broad and fast ripening harvest fields. Some here have commenced to keep the Lord’s Sabbath; others are halting between two opinions. One of us will remain here for a little longer, to complete the work. Brethren, we ask your prayers. Aug. 25, 1882. CHAS. L. BOYD, E. W. BARNES. Madison, Nebraska.
By A. J. Cudney
Sixteen have already signed the covenant at this place, and the meetings still continue. We have hope of others. We are having opposition from five ministers. A. J. Cudney. The Word of God Vindicates Itself
THAT the word of God may have free course and be glorified was the great apostle’s prayer. He did not insult it, and insinuate its helplessness by attempting to defend it, but he wanted it to have a chance to vindicate itself. Dr. Cesar Malan once met an infidel in the streets of Paris, and to every one of his sharp assaults he simply responded by quoting a text of Scripture and saying, “Thus saith the Lord.” “But,” said the Frenchman, “I don’t believe it.” “Nevertheless,” answered the good man, “it is the word of the Lord, and if you don’t believe it you’ll be damned.” Years later the same man met Dr. Malan, and, reminding him of the occurrence, said, “it was that that convicted me. You did not let me get hold of the hilt of the sword and begin to examine and criticize it, but you thrust the sharp point of it right through me every time, and it wounded me to death, and also to life eternal.”—Sel. Character Versus Reputation: What We Really Are
CHARACTER is what we really are; reputation is what men say of us. Something about it struck Teddy very forcibly. I am not sure whether it was the text itself or the minister’s reading it the second time in a very earnest manner. He was a new minister, and was preaching to the children this morning. His text was: “And another book was opened, which is the book of life;” and as I say, he read it over twice. The book of life, the book of each one of our lives; do you ever think of that book, children, and what you are writing in it? Every morning you start with a fresh page, and at night what do you find written there—temptations met and overcome, kind words spoken, little acts of helpfulness performed? Or is it a record of temptations yielded to, cross and fretful words, and no kind actions? Think of it, children, when you are tempted to do what is wrong, that it will be written in your book of life, and at that last great day it will be opened and read. Teddy sat at the end of the seat that Sabbath, and was just wondering if he could possibly snap an apple-seed—he had some in his pocket—at Joe Peters without Sadie’s seeing it, when, as I said, something, either in the text itself or the reading of it, caught his attention. It was such a thoroughly new idea, he writing a book—one that would be opened and read on that awful day. On the whole he did not like the idea, certainly not if everything was put in it, was his decision as he recalled some of the many things he had done “just for fun.” Then he tried to think of something he had done during the past week that he should like to see in his book; but he failed to recall anything, unless it was that he carried poor Mrs. Kent a basket of apples. “Wouldn’t a done it, though, only mamma made me,” he was obliged to confess to himself just as he had decided that that was quite a meritorious deed. “I say, mother,” he asked, anxiously, when he reached home at noon, “the minister said God puts everything we do down in a book; do you b’lieve he does? Maybe he don’t see everything, you know.” “O, yes! he does, Teddy—every single thing. We cannot hide even our thoughts from God. So we should be very, very careful, even of them,” replied mamma, smoothing his rumpled curls lovingly. “Well, then, I guess folks forget about it; don’t they? Or else maybe they don’t know.” “I think we all forget sometimes, Teddy; but mamma wants her little son to remember that God sees him always wherever he goes, or whatever he does; will you?” “I’ll try,” said Teddy, with an unusually grave look in his brown eyes. Just then the dinner-bell rang. Teddy went down-stairs, and being very hungry forgot all about the sermon, his book, and all, until Monday afternoon in the spelling-class at school. Now Teddy did not like spelling. In fact, he was not over-fond of study of any description, but spelling was his particular aversion. He almost invariably failed, and this very afternoon Miss Westwood made a rule that all who failed must remain half an hour after school. Teddy heard it in dismay. It was splendid skating down the river, the first they had had this winter, and they were all going down directly from school. For once he was utterly oblivious of everything around him; he never lifted his eyes from his book after Miss Westwood said that, until the class was called. But it was all in vain; the very first word that came to him was “believe,” and he could not remember whether it was “ei” or “ie.” He hesitated, grew red in the face, and was just going to say “ie,” when Miss Westwood was called to the door. “Ahem!” said some one, softly. Teddy looked around, and there was Will Adams, holding up his slate with “ie” in great big letters on it. Teddy felt as though a mountain was lifted off his shoulders, for he was quite sure of the rest of the lesson. Then it was that he remembered yesterday’s sermon, and his promise, and the words of the text; it all flashed through his mind in an instant. Suppose he were to spell the word as Will had written it for him, which was not the way he would have spelled it himself, to think what would it look in that book? But then to think of having to stay in when all the rest were having such sport, and his new skates just aching to be used. What should he do? It seemed to him that it was all of half an hour before Miss Westwood closed the door and resumed the lesson, though it was really but a few moments. “Well Teddy, how is it?” she said. Teddy felt positive that every one in the room must hear his heart beat, it thumped away so loudly. “B-e, b-e-l-” What should he say? “God sees us always, whatever we do is written down in our book of life. Remember that, children, when you are tempted to do wrong; think how it will look in your book.” “E-i-v-e,” he said, hurriedly. Will Adams looked up in blank astonishment. “Couldn’t you read it on my slate?” he asked after school. “Yes;” replied Teddy, coloring; “but you see I—didn’t want to write a cheat in my book.”—Sunday School Times. Making Men of Boys.
By Eben E. Rexford
It should not be expected that a boy will become a man, and be able to do a man’s work well, without receiving a good deal of instruction from those to whom he has naturally a right to look for advice. But a great many farmers who are very particular about how their work is done seem to think that a boy ought to know instinctively how work had ought to be performed. They have forgotten that they had to learn how to do things. To plow a field as it ought to be plowed may seem a very simple thing to a man who has done that kind of work for years, until he has become so familiar with it that he has to give it no special thought; but the novice finds many things to learn. He may have seen it done, but when he comes to try to do it himself, he finds that seeing a thing done is one thing, and doing it well is another. Now the man who is wise will not scold and find fault with a boy for a failure of this kind, but he will exercise the grand virtue of patience, and explain to him wherein he failed. He will not treat the boy as if he were a man, or ought to know how to do such things as well as a man who has had experience, but he will make a pupil of him, and lead him in, step by step, until he has overcome each difficulty. By taking pains to explain things to him he will arouse an interest in the work, and the boy will be anxious for further knowledge. Last summer I was on a farm where a man was hoeing potatoes. While I stood there talking with him, his boy came into the field with his hoe. It seems he had never tried his hand at hoeing and “billing up” potatoes, and he made poor work of it. Instead of showing him how it should be done, his father began finding fault, and finally ordered the boy to go to work at something else. “Why didn’t you show him how you wanted it done?” I asked. “Hadn’t the boy eyes?” asked the man. “If he can’t get the knack of hilling potatoes when he sees it done right before him, what’s the use of trying to learn him?” Now I differed with him there. There may not be much of a “knack” in hilling potatoes, but it evidently puzzled the lad, and a few hints, given kindly, would have helped him out of the difficulty, and the lesson would have been learned for all time to come. The man could have told him why he hilled them, and explained the different methods of culture, and the boy’s interest would have been aroused. Farmers fail, as a general thing, to take the boys into their confidence sufficiently about the work to be done on the farm. They go ahead and plan, and all the boys are expected to do is to execute. It seems to me that the best way to get along with boys, if you want them to do their best on the farm, or anywhere else, is to get them interested in what they are doing. This you cannot do if they feel that they are not considered of sufficient importance to be taken into your confidence. If you talk with them about the work to be done as you would with men, your boys will begin to feel that you consider them as little men, and they will act like little men in nine cases out of ten, and surprise you by entering into the spirit of the work in hand with as much interest as you do. The way to make men of boys is to treat them as you would a man, in many ways. Show them that you do not hold their opinions in contempt. Encourage them to act and think for themselves, and let them feel that you trust them. It gives a boy a very manly feeling to know that a grown-up man considers his opinion worth something, and has faith in his ability to act without constant supervision. Put a responsibility on a boy’s shoulders and he will be proud of it, and generally do himself credit in the way he carries it. And when your boy has earned something, don’t put it all in your pocket, and none in his. Let him have spending money. You can advise him how to use it, but don’t make him feel that all his work has been for some one else, and that he is to earn, but not spend. Talk with him about using money foolishly and sensibly, and show him wherein he can lay out his spending-money to advantage, and he will not be likely to squander a great deal of it. He will doubtless make some foolish ventures—he would be a peculiar boy if he did not—but these will quite likely be useful lessons to him. A boy can see wherein he does a foolish thing as well as a man can, and he generally profits by his mistakes. I have great faith in the boys. Treat them like men and they will not disappoint you in growing up to be men.—Eben E. Rexford, in Christian Union. Harry’s Earnings.
By Little Sower
No boy, or man either, in all the country, was more ready and willing to help the needy than Harry Gray. One day he came to his uncle with an anxious look on his face, and said:— “Uncle, can you help a poor man who lives down in the village? He is very sick and entirely destitute.” “No;” said his uncle, gruffly. “I haven’t any money to spare.” Harry looked disappointed. After a moment he said hesitatingly, “Uncle, I’d like to earn some money.” “Well,” said his uncle, looking up from his paper, “I told you I would give you three cents for every wheelbarrow load of stones you carted away from the hill, but you did not want to do it.” “I will do it now, if I may,” said Harry. “Very good; you may begin as soon as you like,” said his uncle. Harry jumped up, and ran out to find the wheelbarrow. Picking up stones was dull work, yet he set about it as eagerly and merrily as if he loved it. He wheeled the great barrow up the hill, and began to fill it with stones, singing as gaily as a lark. The summer sun grew warm, and Harry’s shoulders began to ache, but with a bright smile on his face, he said to himself, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” That was the secret of Harry’s readiness for this work; he was determined to earn eighteen cents, so he tugged away at the heavy stones until the six loads were rolled down the hill. Harry went home with that same happy look on his face, and said, “Aunty, will you give me a loaf of bread?” “To take to that sick man?” “But you are too tired to go with it now.”407 “O no; I can go. Please let me have a little pitching, too.” “What do you want that for?” “I’ll bring it back safely,” said Harry, coloring a little. So aunty gave it to him, for she loved the little motherless boy. First he went to find his uncle, who gave him the eighteen cents. Then he went to the village grocery store and bought a little paper of sugar, a small package of tea, and pitcher full of milk. If ever there was a happy little boy it was Harry Gray, as he walked up the village street, holding fast to his precious packages. He reached a forlorn, wooden house, and knocked at the door. “Come in,” said a feeble voice. Harry went in, and there on the bed lay the sick man for whom he was looking. “I have brought you something, because some one told me you were in want,” he said gently. “God bless you, boy!” said the sick man; “I have not tasted a mouthful to-day!” Just then a woman came in. “See Mary,” said he, “God has sent us food at last;” and the woman took Harry’s hands in hers, and the tears poured down her face as she asked the dear Father in Heaven to bless him. Harry lay down upon his bed that night a weary little boy; but do you think he was sorry he had worked so hard for his Saviour?—Little Sower. In this dear home our little ones
With life's first hour were blest;
'Tis here we watch and care for them,
Like birdlings in a nest;
Here mother earth has ne'er denied
To us a bounteous store,
A full supply for needful wants,
Nor should we covet more. The spring bird's notes are sweetest here;
The summer flowers more fair,
And autumn with her golden crown
Of harvests rich and rare;
And when rude winter's icy blasts
Rage fiercely, far, and wide,
Oh, what a blessing to enjoy
A home and home's fireside! Let others boast of mansions bright,
Of power, or wealth, or fame,
Or seek ambition's giddy height
To win an honored name;
Let all who choose, take foreign tours,
And all who wish to, roam;
But leave to me the sacred walls
Of our own dear rural home. —The National Christian Association will hold its fourteenth annual convention at Batavia, N. Y., Sept. 12 to 14. —President Washburn, of Robert College, Constantinople, thinks that “the churches of America are losing their interest and faith in foreign missions.” —Dr. Morgan Dix, of New York, favors the revision of the Book of Common Prayer, and the insertion of more new prayers. He favors prayers for the dead in the burial service. —And now the Christian Union, seemingly without any compunctions of conscience, speaks of the doctrine of conditional immortality as a “mischievous doctrine.” What mischief has it done, friend? —The Protestant Episcopal Church in Massachusetts is trying to secure the doing away of the pewed system in all their church edifices throughout the State, and the introduction of the free system instead. —The Jewish Record says: “When we pray for the welfare and prosperity of our country, we do not end our prayer with the words, ‘May the Redeemer come to Zion,’ for we want no Zion and no Redeemer.” —A new Methodist church has been built at Grand Rapids, Mich., but the Presiding Elder, who was sent for, refused to dedicate it. The debt was not all provided for, and he said he had promised God not to dedicate any more due bills, mechanic’s liens, and mortgages. —In answer to the call made by the Lutheran General Council, five young pastors have come from Germany to work among their countrymen here. Seventy young men from the Missionary Institute at Sleswick, Prussia, have volunteered themselves for similar service. —The Rev. Sylvanus Hayward, of Globe, Mass., declares that the increase in divorce in that State is not due to greater laxity in the laws, but to an enormous increase of wickedness among the people; and he holds that the remedy must be found in an improvement of their morals. —We see it suggested in a certain paper that the reason why the “orthodox” churches have so many D. D.s is because their “divinity” needs a great deal of “doctoring.” And we notice that after having “suffered many things of many physicians” it is “nothing bettered,” but is weaker than ever. —Satan’s existence and personality are inseparable. We can no more think of an impersonal devil than of an impersonal man. The Scriptures represent him as talking, planning, seeking, coming, going, tempting—things which could not be predicated of a mere figure of speech.—Herald and Presbyter. —On the invitation of the vicar, a thousand members of the Salvation Army attended service in the parish church of Oldham, on Sunday last. The clergy of the Established Church are doing all they can to conciliate the respect and friendship of the Army; and Primate Tait has sent General Booth a check for £5. —Here is a significant fact, reported by a correspondent of the Christian World, who is making the tour of the world: “I have not seen anywhere, even in Turkey, Egypt, or India, among the Mohammedan or Hindoo women a single happy or hopeful face.” It is only where the religion of the Bible prevails that happy women are found. —The Golden Censer, commenting on Beecher’s heretical article in the North American Review, says of him: “But he would not be Henry Ward Beecher if he did not go into many extravagances, for the sake sometimes of the sonorous sounds they make, but oftener over and beyond bounds by his enthusiasm over the one idea in his mind at the time.” —In a speech at Mansfield, O., Senator Sherman said that over the temperance and the Sabbath (Sunday) questions there is an irrepressible conflict which must be met. Governor Foster said: “If we were disposed to put these issues in the background, we could not do it. I have never known so much feeling on any public question since I have been in politics as there is upon this one.” —The Independent did not speak with its usual candor when it said that “the Adventists believe the war in Egypt to be the result of the failure of the angel of the Revelation to hold the four winds.” We know of no class of Adventists that believe any such thing. Contempt for the doctrine of the coming of our Lord will sometimes lead even the most candid to make groundless assertions. —A Free-Thinker’s Convention was held at Watkins, N. Y., last week, and the members solemnly resolved that they as a class were responsible for all the comfort, refinement, and good morals which distinguish this generation. And now it is in order to inquire what institutions of charity or learning they have endowed. One of Mr. George I. Seney’s $25,000 checks will weigh more in the scale of public opinion than all the “Liberal” resolutions in the world. —The Jewish Times has an article on “Egypt and Prophecy,” in which it predicts that the prophecy of Ezekiel will be fulfilled by England taking the complete control of Egypt. Of Turkey it says: “Turkey ought to be eliminated entirely from the Egyptian problem. The fiction of her sovereignty has been maintained long enough, and it will pass away. The outgivings of the British Premier and the utterances of the London Times foreshadow this result.” —A correspondent of the S. S. Times gives an account of a Sunday-school near Atlanta, Georgia, that was organized in 1831, and has been continued summer and winter ever since. The only vacation taken was a few weeks in 1864, when Sherman’s army was encamped in the place. The first Superintendent was in office eight years, till his removal from the county; the second occupied the position twenty-five years, till his removal from the county. We would be glad to hear more of the history of that school. —England’s standing army numbers 132,210 men. —A case of genuine Asiatic cholera is reported from Hillsdale, Mich. —A heavy snow-storm was reported as raging at Leadville, Col., Aug. 30. —On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, 538 persons died of cholera at Manilla. —Herbert Spencer, the English scientist, has come to this country for a three months’ visit. —It is now officially announced that the coronation of the Czar will certainly not occur before May. —The Siberian plague is appearing again to an alarming extent in the most widely separated quarters of European Russia. —Cholera is raging in Japan. Of 775 cases at Yokahama, 572 proved fatal. At Tokio, about fifty deaths have occurred daily. —The brokers of Richmond have again commenced to buy Confederate bonds. As much as $750 a thousand has been paid for them. —The Sierra Lumber Company’s planing-mill at Red Bluff, Cal., was burned August 29. The fire is supposed to have originated from lighted cigarettes. —Many prominent literary and business men of England have given their names to a scheme for the erection of a bust of Longfellow in Westminster Abbey. —Mrs. Shaw, of Boston, the daughter of the late Professor Agassiz, supports thirty-three kindergartens in that city and vicinity, at an expense of $25,000 per annum. —Virginia drinks up her entire wheat crop annually, and the liquor drank in Louisiana costs $47,000,000,—$2,000,000 more than its combined cotton, sugar, and rice crop. —It is said that a movement is rapidly gaining strength in Kentucky to so amend the constitution as to prohibit the manufacture and sale of spirituous liquors to be used as a beverage. What next? —Later reports of the Texas floods state that 120 persons were drowned. It is estimated that 25,000 sheep, besides horses, cattle, and mules were carried away. Six inches of rain fell all over Northwestern Texas. —Yellow fever is still on the increase on the border between Texas and Mexico. About one-half of the population of Brownsville is down with the fever. The infected district comprises four counties, which are rigidly quarantined. —It is said that the adoption of prohibition in Kansas and Iowa is driving a large and undesirable class of people from those States into Nebraska. It is believed that the latter State will be compelled in self-defense to adopt a similar law. —The manager of Robinson’s circus was fined $100 in the Oakland Police Court, last week, for having allowed a child of tender years to ride and perform in the circus while in Oakland. The case was prosecuted by the secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. —August 26 an excursion train was run from Toledo, O., to Grand Rapids, Mich., and on the return trip half a dozen desperadoes went through the coaches with cocked revolvers, and stripped everybody of their valuables. The conductor was badly injured, and only one of the robbers was captured. —General Sherman intends to retire from the army in November. The law retiring all officers over sixty-two years of age, would compel him to retire next year. General Sheridan will succeed him as General of the Army. But it seems a strange policy that retires a man from office because he has age and experience. —There has been fighting between the Greeks and the Turks during the last week. The cause was the alleged violation of Greek territory by the Turks. There have been some sharp engagements, but the difficulty is thought to be satisfactorily adjusted for the present. Nevertheless troops are being massed on the frontier. —It was thought that the number of miles of railroad laid in July would not again be equaled in any one month, but it was exceeded in August by more than 300 miles. The total for the month is 1,274 miles of new main track, exclusive of side track. The construction for the eight months of the present year, in thirty-two States, is 7,048 miles. —A German wine merchant, who was convicted and sent to prison for adulterating wine, was forced to betray the secret of his operation. It was this: Three thousand small casks of wine, by the addition of water, alcohol, potato sugar, wine dregs, and salt, were made to yield the enormous quantity of 52,000 casks, which he sold at about fifteen times the value. —At a Methodist camp-meeting in Wheatland, Cal., last week, after an evening meeting, a man approached one of the preachers and asked him to pray for him, which was done. He then asked the minister to go and pray with his brother and sister. The minister complied with the request, and followed the man, who presented a pistol and robbed him of valuables to the amount of $150. —The industrial schools for Indians are said to be meeting with success. The red men have begun to work well and to take a pride in their work. General Armstrong believes that within five years, with the 100 Indians at Hampton, Va., and the 300 at Carlisle, Penn., and others under instruction elsewhere, all the shoes and harness needed on the plains can be made by the young men at home. —A revolution has taken place in Corea. The king was deposed, and the queen and two children were murdered by the mob. In all thirteen inmates of the palace were slain, some being high dignitaries. The Japanese at Soul were also slaughtered. The uncle of the king has seized the throne. This may nullify the recent treaty that has been negotiated between Corea and the United States. —For some time there has been much discontent among the Irish constabulary at Dublin, concerning pay, and the whole force has left service in a body. As a consequence, the city is in great confusion. There has been a good deal of rioting in the streets. The special officers who have been sworn in are unable to quell the disturbances. A London dispatch says: “The discontent among the Irish constabulary, which has now spread to the Dublin metropolitan police, and it need hardly be said has been fanned assiduously by the national leaders, is looked upon by the authorities as a very serious thing. Indeed, the entire condition of affairs in Ireland is fully as bad as ever.” It is thought that the worst of the troubles in Ireland are yet to come. Obituary: Sister Mariah Everts of Napa
EVERTS.—Died, in Napa City, Cal., Aug. 10, 1882, Sister Mariah Everts, aged 73 years. Sister Everts united with the S. D. Adventist Church in Napa, May 23, 1875, and has since that time, been a faithful member. We had the pleasure of an acquaintance with her, at her home, as it was difficult for her to get out to meeting. But her whole soul was in the work, though deprived of many privileges which others enjoy. The following particulars we copy from a Napa paper:— “After an illness of several weeks, Mrs. T. C. Everts died on Thursday afternoon at the residence of her daughter in Napa, Mrs. M. L. Wilson. Mrs. Everts was born in Georgia in 1809, and was 73 years of age. She came to California in 1857, and lived at Benicia until 1863, when a removal was made to St. Helena, and she has lived in Napa Valley ever since. Her husband, Dr. T. C. Everts, died at St. Helena in 1864. She was the mother of eleven children, all living but one; viz., Mrs. M. L. Wilson, Mrs. Dr. Pond, Mrs. Ralph Ellis, Mrs. R. C. Rampendahl, and Mrs. D. M. Stockman; and Mr. F. D., C. N., W., A. W., and Dr. Edw. Everts. Mrs. Everts was a very estimable woman, having a great many warm friends in Napa Valley, and her decease will be very generally lamented.” Signs Extra for California.
By Editor
THE Sunday issue in California at the present time calls for more attention than we are disposed to give it in our “pioneer paper,” which is intended for a missionary paper to all the world. Not that we intend to ignore it in the SIGNS. By no means. We shall keep the readers of our regular issue acquainted with the movements here, and point out their relation to the “signs of the times,” and the fulfillment of prophecy. But our pioneer paper must have its allotted variety, which forbids our giving a great amount of space to this Sunday crisis in this State. We therefore propose to publish a 4-page SIGNS for the California Sunday campaign, which this political campaign really is. Our reasons for doing this are briefly these:— 1. We want to place our views of this Sunday issue before all the people of the State, as far as is possible, before the day of election. 2. Our 12-page paper costs too much to circulate as extensively as we wish to scatter this work. We cannot command the means at present. 3. In such an excitement as will exist in this campaign, people will not read tracts as readily as they will a weekly paper. Therefore, we must have a cheap paper to meet the present want. Bro. Smith’s presence in this State for a season, enables us to carry out this design. It will be commenced immediately, and published every week till after election—at least ten weeks. We shall put the price as low as can be afforded. We ask (1) for individual subscriptions; (2) for orders for hundreds and thousands from those who will circulate them; (3) for donations from those who have the means, in order to send it to those counties where we have no churches; and (4) for assistance, work, in distributing them. Price, single copy, ten weeks, 30 cents; four copies to one address, $1.00; $20.00 per hundred. Two and three cent postage stamps received on subscription. The time is short; send orders and donations immediately.