Earlier text: THE TRANSFIGURATION; OR, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN MINIATUREFIDELIA'S CONCLUSIONS RESPECTING HER DUTIES.
FIDELIA was lazily lying in a hammock, one fair August afternoon. Though still warm, and belonging to summer, the air brought faint and almost indescribable suggestions of the autumn. The beautiful mellowed light upon the hills had something new in it, which she had not seen before, and which told that the end of the summer-time was approaching. Nature had reached its resting-point, everything was complete; from this time the sure, yet slowly insidious decay, was steadily progressing. These half-unconscious observations brought with them other suggestions to Fidelia's mind. It was very different with her from what it was with nature. To her, summer, meant delicious rest, but the autumn the renewal of work. Not that she belonged to the working-classes as generally so understood, though she often laughingly asserted that she did. Her labors were all voluntary and self-imposed, but they pressed none the less heavily because of that. In fact, autumn meant with her the return to "duty," and she was conscious of being very much under the sway of that peculiar divinity. There was probably no one word, of any particular importance, which she heard or used more frequently during the year, than "duty." Now this word had a strange way of changing its sound. In the autumn it had clarion tones, and was like the welcome call to battle. As the winter advanced, it changed into the constant iterations of a faithful but wearisome friend, whose counsels must ever be heeded. But when the spring-time was near, it became like the hated words of a hard task-master. Recalling the repeated experience of several years, Fidelia had but little reason to hope that the coming season would afford any exception, and she was conscious of a strange unwillingness to heed the clarion tones already alluded to. The conflict ceased to be alluring, and she hugged her present ease and comfort. "Duty, duty, duty!" she said to herself; "how tired I shall be of that word before the year is over, and summer comes again!" Being a conscientious young woman, the number and variety of what she considered her "duties," was considerable. There was the church, with its Sabbath services, its weekly meetings, its choir rehearsals, its calls upon strangers. There was the Sabbath-school with its lesson to be studied and taught, its teachers' meetings, its scholars to be regularly visited, its truants to be hunted up and driven back into place. There were the numberless charities, which thicken so rapidly in our cities, with their meetings, their reports, their long discussions, their collection of funds, their ministering to the sick and the afflicted, their continued draughts upon time, strength, and patience. Then there were social duties,—for Fidelia had fallen into the habit of looking at all these things from a severely conscientious stand-point,—there were visits to be made, and, alas! there must be anxious thought and precious time given to careful and punctilious attiring of one's body. Fidelia sighed at the prospect; she hummed softly to herself, as she luxuriated in her present idleness, the old jingle, "I slept, and dreamed that life was beauty;
I woke, and found that life was duty." Suddenly it occurred to her that matters were not quite as they should be. Surely there was more of a connection between those final words than that of a somewhat imperfect rhyme. Was it not possible that she, a professing follower of Christ for some years, might, by this time, have passed out of the duty and into the beauty of a Christian life? Duty—what did it mean? According to Webster, and according to derivation, something owed. Was life, then, to be but a continued and acknowledged state of paying a debt to God? She could fancy how a child, the first few nights of her stay in her new home, might kiss her adopted mother good-night, because she owed her this recognition of the kindness shown. But if the mother were loving, would the act not very soon grow to be one of spontaneous expression? Would the caress be a welcome one, if the child persisted in saying to herself, "I will kiss my mother because I ought, because it is my duty"? Speranza, by this time, had brought her work, and seated herself upon the grass at Fidelia's feet. "What are you thinking about so soberly?" she asked, looking up brightly. "About duty! and about how I was growing to be impatient of the very word!" "You surprise me! I thought you were a devout worshiper of Duty, and were even one of her most devoted priestesses, offering up continual sacrifices on her altar!" "You were right," answered Fidelia, somewhat sadly; "and I have just begun to see that perhaps I have worshiped duty more than I have loved God!" "Doesn't 'duty' furnish a high motive?" "Not the highest, certainly. For 'love must be a great deal higher. And the question which has come to me is, how long a Christian ought to stay in the rut of duty, and how soon he may expect to get up on the wings of joyful service? When are we going to stop doing things because we ought to, and begin to do them because we love to?" "Couldn't you 'do things' without thinking anything about it, one way or the other, having once made up your mind it is right to do them?" "Possibly I might, though I doubt it. I want something positive put in, to sweeten them. It seems to me there should be a joyful spontaneity about a Christian's life, and that we might grow to do all these things because we love them!" "Surely, self sacrifice is commendable!" "Yes, but are we going to crucify our flesh all our lives, and never get in the least degree the victory over it?" "But is there any virtue in doing what we like to do?" "Speranza, I am astonished to hear you ask such a question! There may not be any virtue in doing it, but certainly there is the highest virtue in bringing one's self to such a point that one likes to do it. Is the man who has won the battle less brave than the man who is fighting it? Are the angels less virtuous than men? I fancy they don't think much about it's being a self-sacrifice to go on their missions of love!" "Well, my dear, perhaps you are right. I certainly have not been in the way of looking at it from just such a stand-point. You seem to have been thinking pretty hard about it." "I have, and my conclusion of the whole matter is," she answered solemnly, "that I have thought so much about doing my duty, that I have made life a wearisome, continual grind!" "But the very duties I have heard you rebel most against, such as making calls, and getting your clothes, how about those? You can't transform those,—can you?" "'He that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?' I fancy social duties cannot be left out any more than the rest. Christ's second great commandment is 'like unto' the first!" "How about disagreeable charitable duties?" "Isn't this a kind of contradiction of terms, then?" Suppose we translate them—unpleasant loving obligations. Doesn't it sound queer? However, that is the way a great many people seem to regard it. How surprised we should be, when we ask people to do charity-work, that is, love-work, if they should say, 'Oh, thank you, I should like to do it so much! I am very much obliged to you for the opportunity.' Instead of that we generally hear, and generally expect to hear, either a refusal, or an acceptance like this, 'Oh yes, I suppose I must! I suppose it's my duty to do my share.'" "All this sounds remarkably fine," said Speranza, quietly. "Now what do you propose to do about it?" "I propose to do this," answered Fidelia, with determination. "Do you remember what that dear, five-year-old saint said in that charming book of Mrs. Walker's, 'Our Little Girls?' When her obstinate baby brother resolutely refused to walk upstairs, and insisted on being carried, she took hold of his hand, and said, 'Let's play we wanted to walk upstairs,' and they went up triumphant. Now I propose to play I wanted to do all these things, until the play becomes a reality." "Very good," said Speranza, approvingly, "a very excellent intention. But may I ask how long you expect this sort of thing to last?" "I hope," Fidelia answered, with deep feeling, "I hope, and I mean, that it shall last forever."
—B. M. Day, in Sunday-School Times. The Home Circle.
By Christian Observer
What hast thou done to show thy love
To Him who left His home above—
His glorious home in yonder sky—
And came to earth for thee to die? What hast thou done in all these years,
Since Christ in love dispelled thy fears,
And in their place gave peace of mind
And access to his throne to find? Hast thou the world renounced entire,
And for its praise felt no desire?
From every folly turned away
To seek for joys that last alway? Whene'er a brother in his need
Appeal to thee to clothe or feed,
Did'st thou with generous soul reply,
And for Christ's sake thyself deny? Hast thou e'er dried the widow's tear,
Or sought the orphan's path to cheer?
Hast thou e'er raised the fallen up,
And bidden him once more to hope? Or hast thou lived in selfish ease,
Seeking alone thyself to please,
Forgetful that thy God would claim
Thy service if thou bear his name? Forget not, soul, that by-and-by
A reckoning comes in yonder sky,
When Christ as Judge will ask of thee,
"O soul, WHAT HAST THOU DONE FOR ME?"
—Christian Observer. THE END OF A PRACTICAL JOKE.
The Western papers brought us an account, a few weeks ago, of the tragical ending of a practical joke. Two gentlemen entered the apartments occupied by one of them, a young man inordinately fond of quizzing or teasing. He told his friend that the colored servant who had charge of the rooms was in constant terror of burglars, adding,— “He thinks that I am out of town. Let us upset the chairs, open the desk, and hide in the bath-room, to see what he will do.” His friend remonstrated, but he persisted, disarranged the furniture and papers, and then, pushing his guest before him into the bath-room, closed the door just as the old janitor came in. Supposing his master had been robbed, the negro tried to open the bath-room door, and finding the robbers, as he thought, within, he went for a pistol, and fired through the door, killing the poor young joker at the first shot. Now no practical joke could, apparently, have been more innocent and harmless than this. But, in fact, no practical jokes are innocent or harmless. They invariably play upon the cowardice, ignorance, superstition, or some other weakness of others, for the selfish amusement of the joker. Their danger cannot be estimated beforehand, simply because the weakness or anger of the victims is an unknown quantity. In farming districts, a favorite amusement of young people with vacant minds is to dress as ghosts, demons, etc., and go about frightening children. Epilepsy or lifelong nervous disease is often the result. There is another kind of practical jokes, legalized in college by long custom, just as senseless and dangerous. Such, in the University of Pennsylvania, for example, as “bowl day,” when two classes fight over the body of the youngest “honor boy,” one to put him into an enormous wooden bowl, the other to keep him out. The clothes and limbs of the victim are torn and dragged as by a pack of wolves. You are tender-hearted, and you want to be true and are trying to be—learn these two things; never be discouraged because good things get on so slowly here; and never fail daily to do that good which lies next to your hand. Do not be in a hurry, but be diligent. Enter into the sublime patience of the Lord. Be charitable in view of it. God can afford to wait; why cannot we, since we have him to fall back upon? Let patience have her perfect work, and bring forth her celestial fruits. Trust to God to weave your little thread into a great web, though the patterns show it not yet. When God's people are able and willing thus to labor and wait, remember, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and the thousand years shall show themselves as a perfect and finished day.—McDonald. —A heavy thunder-storm visited San Diego the 18th.
—The king and queen of Greece have arrived at St. Petersburg.
—Several shocks of earthquake were experienced at Victoria, B. C., Sunday, Aug. 22.
—The national debt has been reduced ten or twelve million dollars during the month of August.
—Competent authorities say that the Russian harvest is the poorest since the famine of 1873.
—Nine hundred immigrants arrived in New York, Thursday last, and one thousand the day following.
—Efforts to negotiate a treaty with Corea to open her ports to American commerce have proved unsuccessful.
—A new railroad bridge has been constructed over the Missouri river, at Plattsmouth, eighteen miles below Omaha.
—The Central Pacific Railroad are employing all the men they can get, and sending them to work upon the new sheds.
—Three men were killed, and several wounded by a severe storm which swept over Fort Mojave, Arizona, a few days since.
—A Chicago special says: "Twenty-eight cases of suicide were reported from different parts of the county during the past week."
—The warriors of Sitting Bull's tribe are reported as moving south, while the women and children are going north—an ominous sign.
—Fifty-three Chinese were arrested in San Francisco a few nights since for gambling. What about the American gamblers?
—Several cases of poisoning have been reported in Concord, N. H., caused by eating potatoes from vines upon which Paris green had been used.
—Princess Eugenia, of Sweden, sister to the king, is endeavoring to form an association of ladies to promote missionary work among the Lapps.
—Preparations are being made throughout northern Mexico for a revolution. All the Mexican troops on the border expect to be ordered to the interior.
—The quarantine recently placed over the jute mills near Oakland, Cal., on account of small-pox, has been raised. All danger is pronounced at an end.
—The Prussian government will immediately take measures for the relief of the distress in West Prussia, and will at once begin the construction of a railway.
—Within two weeks 110 young ladies have taken the vows of the "sisterhood" in the convent of Notre Dame at Milwaukee, Wis. They were from all parts of this country, and some from Canada.
—A special from Portland, Aug. 21, states that heavy fires are raging in both the Cascade and Coast Range mountains, and that the whole Willamette valley is shrouded in dense clouds of smoke.
—The steamer, Marine City, running from Detroit to Mackinac, Mich., was burned to the water's edge on Sunday afternoon. A large number of passengers was on board, some of whom are known to be lost.
—The greater portion of Castle & Mayor's paper mill at South Lawrence, Mass., has been destroyed by fire. Loss, $100,000; insurance $75,000. Spontaneous combustion is supposed to have been the cause.
—Secretary Schurz is making an extensive tour among the Indian agencies, and expects to effect many new arrangements with the Indians, among them the surrender of the Crows of a part of their reservation containing mines.
—Precautions are being taken against expected resistance to evictions in the west of Ireland. Iron huts for the police are constructing near Clare Morris, in Mayo county, and other places where trouble is thought likely to occur.
—Ouray, the Indian chief who accompanied the U. S. Commission to the Southern Ute Agency to assist in prevailing upon that tribe to sign the treaty, is dead. The treaty is not signed, and it is feared that matters will be much complicated by his death.
—Holding conventions seems to be becoming a popular way of advancing almost every cause. The deaf mutes of America recently held a convention in Cincinnati, and a mass convention of infidels has just closed at Marshalltown, Iowa, after a three days' session.
—During the week ending with the 21st there were issued from the mints by the Treasurer of the United States, 331,994 standard silver dollars; for the week ending the 28th, 369,493. The amount issued by the mints in the corresponding fortnight of last year was 443,054.
—The number of emigrants who have left Germany for the United States since January 1, is over 13,000, or 191 per cent more than during the corresponding period of last year. This is exclusive of those who have sailed from Havre, Rotterdam, Liverpool, Glasgow and London.
—A large aerolite passed over Cleveland, Ohio, about three o'clock Sunday morning, brilliantly illuminating everything. When over the lake it exploded with such force as to severely jar many buildings in the northern part of the city, the fragments shooting off in different directions. —Active preparations are being made in Oakland for the celebration, on the 9th, of the thirtieth anniversary of the admission of the State of California to the Union. It is expected that President Hayes and party, and Governor Perkins and staff will honor the occasion by their presence.
—The American Baptist Flag says, "The Butler Creek church, Benton county, Arkansas, has expelled fifteen of its members because of their connection with the Murphy temperance movement;" and adds that "such a foolish action by a church is a disgrace to religion." In this opinion we heartily concur.
—The Cuban government has decided that within ten days all Chinese detained by the government for being runaways, or for being without contract for work, or any other criminal cause, shall be set free. Henceforth all Chinese shall enjoy the same rights as other individuals belonging to friendly nations.
—The new Viceroy of India, the Marquis of Ripon, has ordered all official Sunday work to be discontinued. Heretofore, little attention has been given to Sunday in the offices. "This Viceroy," says the Methodist, "is the Roman Catholic lord whose appointment many over-zealous English Protestants considered scandalous and fraught with danger to the Protestantism of the empire."
—A disastrous hurricane is reported to have passed over Jamaica the 19th, leaving thousands of people houseless. Crops, fruit-trees, and farm produce generally, were destroyed. Colossal trees were uprooted and churches demolished. Three wharves are gone, and eight large and thirty-two small vessels were wrecked in the harbor. Famine is imminent, and help is required for starving thousands.
—As the result of a recent trial of different American reaping machines on the grounds of the Agricultural College at Bucharest, one agent took orders for forty machines. "From a merely industrial point of view," says the Advance, "such a fact as this is of interest; but another fact is that machinery of this sort represents ideas—American ideas, which will certainly prove to be self-sowing wherever these self-binding reapers may go."
—The directors of the California State prison have made a contract with a firm in Leeds, England, for one hundred looms which will give employment to 400 convicts. The machinery is to be used in the manufacture of grain sacks, and will, it is estimated, turn out in the first year 5,000,000 sacks, one-sixth of the number annually required for our grain produce. The factory will be in operation early next year, and will help to make the prison self-supporting.
—The statistics gathered at the late Sunday-school Centennial show that at the present time there are over fourteen million persons in the world attending Sunday-schools. They are divided as follows: North America, 7,906,194; Europe, 5,882,814; Asia, 39,772; Africa, 15,300; South America, 153,000; Oceanica, 187,800. The United States has more than all the rest in the world, or 7,509,452. Of the above, about one-tenth are teachers, and the rest scholars.
—A Bucharest dispatch dated Aug. 27, says: "The Roumanian politicians are somewhat excited over the alliance question. One faction, led by Borescoe, Minister of Foreign Affairs, favors making common cause with Austria. Another party, under the leadership of Prince Gregory Stourdza, leans toward Russia as the only power which has ever really befriended Roumania. A third party is opposed to all foreign allies, desiring Roumania to become the Belgium of the East."
—Aug 10, a burning vessel floated against a pier at Hunter's Point, Brooklyn, N. Y., occupied by a lumber company, where a large number of vessels were unloading. The fire immediately communicated to the lumber-yard, and spread in every direction with lightning rapidity. From the lumber-yard the fire spread to the vessels, and notwithstanding the efforts made by several tugs which hastened to their assistance, six barges, one schooner, and one ship were soon in flames. Over ten acres of fire was soon raging wildly. After great labor the fire was checked. The loss is heavy.
—In India, which has been, perhaps, the hardest missionary field of all, there are about 95,000 native Christian communicants; in Africa, 80,000; in Polynesia and Australasia, 73,000; in Madagascar, 68,000; in China and Japan, 18,000; in Burmah, 20,000. In these fields alone there are upward of 350,000 communicants. The total in all fields is, perhaps, over half a million, besides the adherents (those who have renounced heathenism or other untrue religions and accepted Christianity), who are more than twice as numerous. There must be fully 1,700,000 souls who, as members and adherents, own and glorify the name of Christ. OBITUARY.
By Wm. L. Raymond
WAGY.—Died near Baker City, Oregon, July 27, 1880, of inflammation of the stomach, Noble, son of Jeremiah and Alice Wagy, aged four years, two months and twenty-one days. This brother and sister are sorely afflicted, but we hope their affliction may “work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” For “they sorrow not as those who have no hope,” but are looking for the return of the great Life-giver, who will bring their child back from the land of the enemy. Published and for sale at this Office, and by "Review and Herald," Battle Creek, Mich. History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week for the period of 6,000 years. By Eld. J. N. Andrews. 528 pp. $1.00 The Sanctuary and the 2300 Days of Dan. 8:14. By Elder U. Smith. This work explains the past Advent movement, and makes plain the present position of those who wait for the Lord. 352 pp. $1.00 Thoughts on Daniel, critical and practical. By Elder U. Smith. An exposition of the book of Daniel, verse by verse. 384 pp. $1.00 Thoughts on Revelation. By Elder U. Smith. This work presents every verse in the book of Revelation with such remarks as serve to illustrate or explain the meaning of the text. 352 pp. $1.00 Life of Wm. Miller, with portrait. This book gives interesting sketches of the Christian life and public labors of this pioneer in the Advent movement in this country. 416 pp. $1.00 Life of Elder Joseph Bates, relating his experience of twenty-five years on ship-board, with incidents of his rise from cabin-boy to master and owner. The closing chapters relate to his labors in the ministry and in the cause of temperance and other moral reforms. Fine tint paper, 352 pp. $1.00 Life Sketches of Elder James and Mrs. E. G. White. The early lives and Christian experiences of both are given in this volume. Their subsequent history is so connected with the cause, that this book gives an outline of the rise and progress of our people and our cause. $1.00 With fine steel portraits of both. $1.25 Thrilling Incidents in the political Life of Francesco Urgos, while a soldier with Garibaldi, including his perilous escape from the tyrants of Rome, and his subsequent travels in Africa and Syria. 328 pp. $1.00 The Biblical Institute. This work contains a synopsis of the lectures given at the Battle Creek College by Elder U. Smith, and at Biblical Institutes. 352 pp. $1.00 The Nature and Destiny of Man. By Elder U. Smith. This work treats on the great questions of the condition of man in death, and his destiny beyond the resurrection. 356 pp. $1.00 The Spirit of Prophecy: or, the Great Controversy between Christ and his angels, and Satan and his angels, in four volumes. By Mrs. E. G. White. These volumes cover the time from the fall of Satan to the destruction of sin and sinners at the close of the one thousand years of Rev. 20. Each, 400 pp.
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In paper covers. 10 cts. TRACTS.—32 pages, 4 cents each. Redemption—The Second Advent—The Sufferings of Christ—The Present Truth—Origin and Progress of S. D. Adventists—The Celestial Railroad—The Seventh Part of Time—Ten Commandments not Abolished—The Two Covenants—Address to the Baptists—The Two Thrones—Spiritualism a Satanic Delusion—Samuel and the Witch of Endor—The Third Message of Rev. 14. TRACTS.—24 pages, 3 cents each. The Second Message of Rev. 14—Who Changed the Sabbath?—The Lost-Time Question—Scripture References—The End of the Wicked—Infidel Cavils Considered—The Pocasset Tragedy—Sabbaton. TRACTS.—8 pages, 1 cent each. The Coming of the Lord—Perfection of the Ten Commandments—Without Excuse—Thoughts on the Candid—A Sign of the Day of God—Brief Thoughts on Immortality—Which Day?—Can We Know?—Or Can the Prophecies be Understood?—Is the End Near?—Is Man Immortal?—The Sleep of the Dead—The Sinner’s Fate—The Law of God—What the Gospel Abrogated—100 Bible Facts about the Sabbath—Sunday not the Sabbath—"The Christian Sabbath"—Why not Found out Before? ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT CAMP-MEETING.
How are passengers and baggage transferred from the regular lines of road to the camp-ground? Chartered cars from Lemoore, Fresno, Woodland, St. Helena, and Chico, will transfer passengers and baggage to the local train at the end of the long wharf in Oakland, which will convey them to the camp-ground at Encinal station, Alameda, without extra cost. Persons from Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, and Petaluma, will pay full fare to San Francisco in coming to the ground, and have free return tickets furnished them. Their baggage will have to be transferred by teams at their own expense, which will be but a few cents each. Fare to the ground for adults, 15 cents from San Francisco. How much baggage is each person allowed to carry? One hundred pounds, if addressed to separate individuals. But if each company sends baggage addressed to one person, a car of fifty passengers will be entitled to five thousand pounds. Each company chartering a car can decide on the time when they will have it come and return. We would suggest that they have a day on the ground before the meeting commences to put up and arrange tents, etc., so as to be ready to attend the meetings. Hospital for Female Inebriates
INTEMPERANCE and opium-eating have increased to such an extent among women in America that arrangements are being made to build a National Hospital for female inebriates and opium-eaters. Seventy-five acres of land have been donated for the purpose in Wilton, Conn., and a large quantity of building material, besides $50,000 in money. An exchange contains the following pointed paragraph upon the subject of faith:— There are a great many people who are willing to trust God implicitly, with a few reservations; and to believe that he is all-powerful, with the aid of human help in some few matters. Their foundation is, in effect, that of a New England eccentric, well known in the colleges of the Eastern States, who on one occasion declared his reliance to be "faith, founded upon reason." He is not the only man in the world who is willing to believe in God's goodness only so far as it can be understood. The same principle of semi-trustfulness is no less common in earthly love and friendship,—whether in the family, in the church, or in general society. "A dinner of herbs where love is," says a contemporary novelist, "is doubtless quite sufficient for us; only there must be enough of it, and the herbs should be nicely cooked in an omelette." That is the way we explain away the divine teaching. If only men and women would come to see that half-faith is virtual unbelief; that almost trusting a friend is in point of fact no true friendship at all! The heart that really relies on its Lord, or that truly trusts its fellow-man, must do so without so much as one speck of reservation or withholding of confidence. To keep in the heart one little corner of distrust is compatible only with belief that God is dead, and that friendship does not exist. The Proposed Fasting Match
THE Examiner and Chronicle says: "The Tanner folly is likely to be perpetuated. A Wall street man is reported to have put up $1,000 as a prize in a fasting match, and at least five candidates have given in their names as competitors. The trial is to be superintended by Dr. Hammond, and the man that fasts the longest will be the winner. This beats the walking matches as a novelty, and the gamblers will try to make as much out of it. It is possible that people educated into the mysteries of the walking match "excitement" may squeeze something like enthusiasm out of a fasting match. But a fair average man will be apt to keep himself out of sight of so stupid and ghostly a show." Prosperity and Reasons for Thanksgiving
It is indeed cheering to hear some other cry than that of "hard times." The Advance, contains the following: "Never did this country have greater reasons for thankfulness and hope, in view of the evidence of temporal prosperity than now. The prospect now is that the wheat harvest of the West and North-west will prove to be the best and largest ever gathered. The maturing corn crop also has never before been so abundant. Gold, in large quantities is flowing from Europe to America. Within one week there was received in New York over four million dollars in gold. Every department of business and of trade feels the stir of the new times. As for Chicago, its streets never were so filled with the roaring throngs and tides of business. If now the farmers, in harvesting and marketing their bountiful crops get no set-back, we shall all have occasion to anticipate and repeat thanksgiving day every morning!" No PROVIDENCE preventing I will be at the quarterly meeting in Beaverton, Oregon, Oct. 2 and 3, 1880. I WILL meet with the church at Damascus on Thursday evening, Oct. 7, and will if the way be open continue meetings till the Wednesday evening following. We will celebrate the ordinances with this church on the second Sabbath in October. THERE will be a Conference T. and M. quarterly meeting held at Salem on the third Sabbath and Sunday in October. We design this to be a general meeting, and we give an earnest invitation to all our brethren and sisters from all parts of the Conference to attend. We wish to lay plans for thorough work during the last quarter in this year. I. D. VAN HORN. THE next annual session of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, will be held in connection with the camp-meeting at Alameda, Sept. 16–27. Each church of twenty members or less is entitled to one delegate, and an additional one for every additional fifteen members. Those who are isolated, living by themselves, should represent the condition of the cause, and its wants in their section, by letter. Letters should be directed to Eld. J. D. Rice, Oakland, Cal. Care of PACIFIC PRESS.
S. N. HASKELL,
JOHN MORRISON,
M. C. ISRAEL,
Cal. Conf. Com. California Tract and Missionary Society Session
By S. N. Haskell
The next annual session of the California Tract and Missionary Society will be held in connection with the camp-meeting at Alameda, commencing Sept. 16. California Sabbath-School Association Session
By W. C. White
THE California Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath-school Association will hold its third annual session in connection with the camp-meeting at Alameda, commencing Sept. 16. It is hoped that every school will send its full number of delegates. Each school of fifteen members or less is entitled to one delegate, and one additional delegate for each additional fifteen members. California Health and Temperance Society Meeting
By S. N. Haskell
THE first annual meeting of the California Health and Temperance Society will be held on the campground of the Seventh-day Adventists, commencing Sept. 16. We hope to see all the friends of the cause of temperance, who are connected with our work, at this meeting. REMAINING CAMP-MEETINGS FOR 1880.
By Editor
NEW YORK, Hornellsville . . . . . . . Sept. 7-15.
OHIO, Clyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ 16-21.
NEBRASKA, Central City . . . . . . . . . . . . “ 16-21.
MISSOURI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ 23-28.
CALIFORNIA, Alameda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ 16-27.
INDIANA, Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “ 23-27.
MICHIGAN, Battle Creek . . . . . . Sept. 28 to Oct. 11.
TEXAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 11-16. Business Department.
By Editor
ANY of the books, pamphlets and tracts issued at this Office, may be obtained of Eld. J. N. Loughborough, Ravenswood, Shirley Road, Southampton, England, who will furnish catalogues and prices in English money, and receive subscriptions for all our periodicals. RECEIVED FOR THE "SIGNS." $2.00 EACH. Salina Rodgers 7-1, Marinda Carter 7-26, Mrs Jane Beaman 7-32, Mrs Mary Crosby 7-32, Mrs D Robbins 7-32, O A Twist 7-32, Franklin Squire 6-40, James Hicks 6-40, Mary Deal 7-32, A Morehouse 7-34. $1.00 EACH. John Oaks 7-8, M A Remby 7-8, Wm Chapman 7-16, W M Smith 6-45, Geo. B Lilley 7-16, Mrs J A Whipple 6-40, G W States 6-40, Sarah Haysner 6-40. 25c EACH. Harriet Simons 6-40, W R Calkins 6-40, T W Putman 6-40, Lewis Neff 6-40, Samuel Wearn 6-40, J O Mullagan 6-40, Dr Inches 6-40, J B Robinson 6-40, Robert Graham 6-40, Mrs Louis Houchthin 6-40, Mrs Susan Cronan 6-40, G E States 6-40, Geo Miller 6-40, Henry Hanson 6-40, James Deschank 6-40, James S Nichols 6-40, Kate Wooden 6-40, R A Grinnell 6-40, Mary Brown 6-40, Mrs Frank Fleming 6-40, Levi Hall 6-40, L G Baker 6-40, Geo Louk 6-40, Wilson Soules 6-40, Nicholas Lake 6-40, Hugh McQuarie 6-40, Edwin Sanderson 6-40, Richard Calkins 6-40, Chas. S Wilbur 6-40, Susan Parks 6-40, Warren Cole 6-40, Chris D Johnson 6-40, L B Cole 6-40. MISCELLANEOUS. G W Rees 50c 7-41, S Sharp 50c 7-41, W W Brassfield 50c 7-41, H Baumgardner 50c 7-41, Mrs M J Siddons 1.50 7-32, Mrs T H Bell 75c 7-8, James Simonds 75c 7-8, Worcester Mechanics Reading Rooms 1.50 7-32, H P Wakefield 5.00 7-42, Leston Rogers 5.00 6-7, Mary Brown 50c 6-40, Mrs. Agnes Cox 50c 7-44. THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
By Editor
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
Twelve-Page Edition.—A live Religious Family Paper, containing, in addition to the great variety of original articles, which make it a desirable prophetic journal, Departments devoted to Temperance, The Home Circle, News, The Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school. PRICE PER YEAR, . . . . . . $2.00
In clubs of ten or more copies to one address, to be used for Missionary work, each . . . . . . . . . . . 1.50 Eight-Page Edition.—Condensed from the above. Per Year, 1.25
In clubs of ten or more, each . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
—OR—
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich.
MISS ELIZA THAYER, Secretary N. E. Tract Society, So. Lancaster, Mass.
ELDER J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Ravenswood, Shirley Road, Southampton, England.
MRS. A. P. VAN HORN, Beaverton, Or