Six candidates were recently baptized at Walla Walla (Wash.) College.
At Galt, Ont., three persons have commenced to keep the Lord's Sabbath the past year through reading the SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
THE organization of a Sabbath-school at Lorimer, Iowa, and a Sunday-school about two miles from that place, is reported to the Bulletin by Brother E. W. Wolfe and wife.
BEING compelled to leave Hawaii on account of failing health, Prof. I. C. Colcord has settled for a time in Oakland, Cal. He and his wife are now conducting the church-school in Oakland, Prof. George McCready Price having resigned.
ON a recent tour in Washington, Brother A. J. Stover baptized four young candidates at Carrollton, and one at Yacolt. He also crossed into Washington County, Ore., where four persons—father, two sons, and a daughter—accepted the faith.
IN the Southwestern Union Record, Brother E. B. Hopkins reports that three families have accepted the truth as a result of meetings at Longview, Texas. Six candidates were baptized, and others were to follow later. A Sabbath-school of nineteen members was organized.
THE Workers' Bulletin says that one Iowa canvasser has found territory that was canvassed seventeen years ago, and that "Daniel and The Revelation" was sold then quite extensively. He reports that these books are now being taken down from the shelves and studied. It is ours to sow the seed, and the Lord will give the increase in His own good time.
Of the missionary campaign in Brantford, Ont., Brother W. Dredge writes to the Messenger: "Sister Davis and myself have taken nearly six hundred sets of the SIGNS and four hundred special numbers of Life and Health, which we hope to sell around this city and neighboring towns. Canvassing from house to house, with the Lord's good blessing, we have sold about nine hundred copies, and have begun to go over the city the second time, hoping to sell the rest."
MANY of the readers of the SIGNS will be glad to learn that the Sabbath-school lessons in German, Danish-Norwegian, and Swedish are printed in our foreign papers, published at College View, Neb. These papers also contain the Intermediate lessons for children, translated from the Youth's Instructor. Write to the publishers for sample copies. Special rates on clubs for Sabbath-school and missionary work. Address the International Publishing Association, College View, Neb.
A LETTER from Brother W. H. Wakeham, tells us that he has been at Aintab in the eastern part of Turkey, not far from Haran, where Abraham stopped on his way to Canaan. Here he held a Bible institute at the home of Brother Baharian. The school consisted of six workers and several other Sabbath-keepers who reside there. He also reports some interest among "outsiders," and a profitable time. This letter was dated November 9, and from there he expected to visit Beyrout, Jaffa, Jerusalem, and perhaps Constantinople.
WHAT OUR TEXAS LABORERS ARE DOING.
By Clarence Santee
FOR some weeks Brethren C. W. Miller and H. B. French, have been holding meetings at Bowie and Bellevue. At Bowie, our people have recently built a much-needed house of worship. There are several deeply interested at Bellevue, and Brother French is now doing house-to-house work for them. The recent rains made it very difficult to continue with the tent.
Brother Miller is now visiting churches, and after the week of prayer, which he will spend with the German churches at Hurnville and Valley View, he will make his work among the German-speaking people of Texas.
Brethren Field and Cubley have just closed a series of meetings at Bangs, with a result of thirteen accepting the truth. The interest there continues, and they have commenced a meeting five miles from their first effort.
Brother Eastman has been out in the canvassing field the last few weeks, and is gaining a fresh experience in personal canvassing.
Brother Hopkins has been for some time in and near Longview. The opposition has been strong, yet souls are accepting the truth.
Brethren D. U. Hale and J. I. Taylor have been faithfully laboring near Nacogdoches. Some have accepted the truth for this time, and with some who accepted the message in a former effort, there will soon, we hope, be a new church organized. Our strength is not in numbers, but in faithfulness. Our prayers, then, should be that the Lord will bless these new companies with faithful members and leaders.
Brother McCutchen has moved his family to Dallas, and will for a time devote himself to enlarging the work in that city.
Brother Willis, assisted by Brother W. Field, held a course of meetings near Jewell, where nine embraced the truth. When the school opened at Keene, Brother Field entered the school, and Brother Willis has been holding meetings near Venus. Six have accepted this message there, and still others are interested. This interest was aroused by faithful living on the part of a few souls who were living there. Every member can do something.
Brother E. L. Neff and wife have just returned from a few weeks' trip into Kansas. He had a good rest, and now he will again enter the work in and near San Antonio. Sister Berta Taylor is assisting in Bible work there.
Our Bible workers are divided as follows: Jessie Hunter at Waco; Lottie White is taking a few days' rest, and will return to Fort Worth; Jessie Robbins at Bellevue; Sister Cubley has returned home from her work with her husband at Bangs; W. E. Hancock is attending Union College, hoping to be better fitted for the work to which he has been called.
You will see that our laborers are nearly all busy. Yet there is a vast field besides. We can not think of calling any from their work, but instead, we would be glad if others could be added to the list of earnest public laborers, ready to enter new, unworked fields. Our time for peaceful work is short, and the fields are white.
If all will faithfully return to God that which He claims for the Gospel ministry, the laborers can be kept at work. When Israel was unfaithful, the priests had to turn to the fields for sustenance.
God has spoken concerning our offerings, that they can not be taken from the tithe. This is sacred to one purpose. May God abundantly bless our laborers, our churches and companies, and give us all rest together when the work is done.
CLARENCE SANTEE.
President of Texas Conference.
WANTED FOR MISSIONARY WORK.
By Editor
(Always prepay postage.)
ANY of our papers or tracts suitable for rack work. Address, A. E. Crist, Sutter City, Cal.
CLEAN copies of the SIGNS for Soldiers' Home, 2,500 inmates. Address, Mrs. L. Wightman, Purdy Block, Bath, N. Y.
CLEAN copies of SIGNS and Little Friend. Address, Wm. Curtis, Alsea, Ore.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION.
THE second annual meeting of the members of the Pacific Press Publishing Association will be held at the office of the Pacific Press Publishing Company in Mountain View, Cal., Monday, January 22, 1906, at 11 o'clock A.M.
This meeting is called for the purpose of electing a Board of seven (7) Directors, and transacting such other business as may properly and legally come before the meeting.
No objection being offered, for good and sufficient reasons, the meeting will probably be adjourned until February 27, 1906, at 2 P.M.
By order of the Directors,
M. C. WILCOX, President,
B. R. NORDYKE, Secretary.
STOCKHOLDER'S MEETING.
THE annual meeting of the stockholders of the Pacific Press Publishing Company will be held at the office of the company at Mountain View, Cal., Monday, January 22, 1906, at 10 o'clock A.M.
This meeting is called for the purpose of electing a Board of seven (7) Directors, and transacting such other business as may properly and legally come before the meeting.
No objection being offered, for good and sufficient reasons, the meeting will probably be adjourned until February 27, 1906, at 2.30 P.M.
By order of the Directors,
M. C. WILCOX, President,
B. R. NORDYKE, Secretary.
STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING.
NOTICE is hereby given that the fifth Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of the Southern Publishing Association, will be held Tuesday Jan. 9, 1906, at 10 A.M., at the office of the Association, Nashville, Tenn., to elect a board of directors for the ensuing year, and to transact such other business as is connected with the Association. CHAS. S. POTTS, Secretary.
Nashville, Nov. 22, 1905.
MEDICAL MISSIONARY TRAINING SCHOOL.
By Editor
A SPECIAL Training School for Medical Missionaries will be organized the first of January, 1906, in connection with the Loma Linda Sanitarium, of Southern California. It is designed to make this a Training School for all branches of Medical Missionary work, the Nurses' Course forming only one line of the studies. Those desiring to enter this training school should send for further information at once. Address:
Loma Linda Training School,
Loma Linda (Redlands), California.
Notice
NOTICE.—Mrs. Alice B. Wilt, Bond, Maryland, wishes to correspond with some one (girl or woman) who would appreciate a good home in her family. She needs some help in her work, and company for an invalid daughter, and offers good home, clothing, etc., to one who would meet her need. Seventh-day Adventist preferred. Address as above.
SUNSET MAGAZINE
DESCRIBES
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in visible form, for it shows the wonderful chances for success now open in the new West for wide-awake people.
If your news dealer doesn't carry SUNSET, send us his name and address and write for sample copy.
HOME OFFICE: 431 California St.
San Francisco, California.
Devotional Songs
One-half new songs that will never grow old
One-half old songs that will always be new
Devotional Songs
250 pages, cloth, $25.00 per 100; 30 cents each by mail. A copy for examination will be mailed on request. Returnable. Published by the publishers of the famous "Gospel Hymns."
THE BIGLOW & MAIN Co., New York and Chicago
IMPORTANT TO TRAVELERS
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Millennial Text-Book
MILLENNIAL TEXT-BOOK.—Every known reference, over 500 arranged according to events, adapted for instant reference or profound Bible study; result of 12 years search. Mailed for 10 one-cent stamps or a dime. [Eugene A. Brown, Phoenix, Ariz.
WHERE MORAL COURAGE WON.
CHRISTIANA DICKSON, the wife of one of the first settlers of Erie County, Pennsylvania, was a small, blue-eyed, low-voiced woman, extremely timid, but she had a horror of drunkenness.
She lived in days when the use of liquor was universal. But when her sons were born, she resolved to put a stop to whisky-drinking in her home. Her husband being absent, her brother called for the help of the neighbors, according to custom, to put up a barn, needed on her farm. They all assembled and went to work, while she prepared a great dinner. After an hour or two, whisky was asked for. She refused to provide it.15
Her brothers, and, at last, an elder in the church, came to reason with her, to tell her that she would be accused of meanness. Without a word, the little woman went to the barn, and, baring her head, stepped upon a log and spoke to them.
"My neighbors," said she, "this is a strange thing. Three of you are my brothers, three of you are elders in the church—all of you are my friends. I have prepared for you the best dinner in my power. If you refuse to raise the barn without liquor, so be it. But I would rather these timbers rotted where they lie than to give you whisky."
The men angrily went home, the little woman returned to the house, and for hours cried as tho her heart would break. But the next day every man came back, went heartily to work, enjoyed her good dinner, and said not a word about whisky.
This led to the discontinuance of the use of whisky at barn-raisings in the country. Her sons grew up strong, vigorous men, and did good work in helping to civilize and Christianize the world; their descendants are all of a high type of intellectual and moral men and women. If she had yielded this little point, they might have become like many of their neighbors—drunkards.—Selected.
EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 30.
By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle
BY MRS. L. D. AVERY-STUTTLE.
BROTHER and Sister Hartman were highly gratified with the results of their "experiment," as they called it. They had learned by blessed experience that it is quite possible to teach the Word of God to their own children in such a manner as to prove both instructive and entertaining. Indeed since their regular studies in the Scriptures began, these had taken the place of other entertainments to a great extent, and had entirely supplanted all amusements of a questionable character. But these were only some of the fruits which had been the natural outgrowth of the studies. These godly parents had found it a blessed privilege to train their children so carefully at home, as entirely to counterbalance the teaching of that "science falsely so called," which they received at school, where, along with the good seed, they could scarcely help receiving some seeds of error. Brother and Sister Hartman made it their business not only to plant the good seed of the kingdom, but also to uproot the seeds of error ere they had germinated; and to their great satisfaction, the good seed was already springing up and bearing fruit in other homes than their own. Still, at the conclusion of each study, they almost feared that those who had so far been constant in their attendance, might find some excuse for remaining away. But the succeeding Wednesday evening came once more, and still all were in their places, tho the weather was very inclement.
"We were afraid we should be obliged to study our lessons alone this evening, on account of the rain," remarked Brother Hartman, after all were seated.
"I might as well own up," said Billy, "I wanted to hear that story you promised, and then I thought may be you'd—we'd sing some more songs."
"Right, Billy," smiled grandma; "you shall not be cheated out of the music or the story either."
"Well," said Mr. Gray, "wife and I thought we'd come along with Walter. The fact is, we came in the first place from curiosity,—now, Mr. Hartman, we come to learn God's truth."
Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Wilbur glanced at each other, and Mrs. Wilbur said:
"Yes, we all feel that it's high time that we better understand that Book which points out God's will and our duty, and I only hope for one, Mr. Hartman, that I shall have the true courage to live up to my honest convictions."
"Thank God for that brave testimony!" exclaimed dear grandma, while a tear of thanksgiving rolled down her cheek.
"Perhaps it would be well to give a short synopsis of our last lesson as a sort of review, before I tell the story I promised:
"Walter, what was the first thing that we learned last evening?"
"I think we studied about the condition of the dead, and listened to the stories told about some who had died and been resurrected."
"What did we learn from a consideration of these stories, Miss Josie?"
"I believe we learned that people are not conscious after their death," replied Josie, stealing a glance at her mother.
"Yes, I think we considered almost every case recorded in the Bible, except those who were resurrected and ascended with Christ, and in not a single instance did one of them even mention or hint that they were conscious in death."
"What did you learn, Mrs. Jones?" asked Sister Hartman.
"I learned very much, my friend, but for one thing I found that almost every system of error springs from this belief in the conscious state of the dead."
"What further did we learn, Mattie?"
"That Satan will be able to transform himself into an angel of light, and will try to deceive even the very elect."
"Thank God for the knowledge of the truth?" exclaimed her mother. "We need not be ignorant of his wiles."
"What next, Billy?"
"We found that it was a wicked, lying spirit who came to the Endor woman, and not the spirit of Samuel at all!"
"Good! now Beth, my child," smiled her father "what did you learn from the study?"
"I learned," replied Beth promptly, "that the Lord doesn't want us to be so silly as to ask questions of a dead man, nor so wicked as to ask them of Satan!"
"Well done, Beth! and now for the story," said John.
Brother Hartman smiled as he began: "I think we have proved by the Holy Scriptures that man is not by nature immortal, but that he depends upon Christ alone, who will bestow immortality upon His children at His coming. Now, this study has brought freshly to my mind a very interesting incident to which I was a witness many years ago. There came to our neighborhood, when I was quite a young man, a minister, who set up a tent and began preaching very earnestly that the coming of the Lord was near, and—"
"An Adventist, wasn't he, papa?" asked Beth.
"I thought you would soon guess,—yes, he was a Seventh-day Adventist, whom we will call Elder A—. Of course he taught the blessed truth of the sleep of the dead. He made this very plain, even as we have been trying to do, until it seemed to shine from the inspired Word with wonderful luster. This appeared to arouse the prince of the powers of darkness. Satan well knows that his master deception is based upon a confused idea regarding the natural immortality of the soul. So he stirred up a resident minister of one of the churches, whom we will call Elder B—; to oppose the truth very bitterly. Finally Elder B— urged that a debate upon the question be arranged. In vain did Elder A— plead to be excused, the other insisted, and at last
the debate was agreed upon. On the evening in question the tent was crowded to overflowing. Elder B— did not hesitate to make use of very foolish and unchristian language; and failing most dismally to prove his opponent in the wrong, or to prove that the soul of man is naturally immortal, he resorted to all sorts of methods to show his ill-will toward Elder A— personally. I felt sorry to see this, and was certain that his cause would gain nothing by it.
"Finally, in the midst of a loud argument which contained more noise than logic, he declared that he would turn to a text proving that the immortal spirit of man feels the bitter passions of anger and hatred after death.
"The audience was deeply interested, and the friends of Elder B— were much gratified at this strong assertion."
"But he could never prove that, father," interrupted Mattie: "he could not from God's Word, could he, father?"
"You shall judge for yourself, my child. He read, in proof of this, Eccl. 9:3. Let us turn to the text, all of us, and I will read it exactly as he did. Please follow me closely."
Each having found his place, Brother Hartman read:
"This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, also, the heart of the sons of men are full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after they go to the dead."
"O! but father! you're not reading right. It doesn't read that way!" exclaimed Mattie and Beth together, while John and Walter glanced at Elsie and smiled.
"I think you left out a very important word, Mr. Hartman," said Josie.
"Well, I read it exactly as the minister, Elder B— did," replied Brother Hartman. "But when it was Elder A—'s turn to speak, he remonstrated with his opponent, and urged him to read the text once more, thinking that he would certainly see his mistake and correct it."
(To be continued.)
EVER THE BEST.
By Max Hill
BY MAX HILL.
I know when great temptations come to me
I shall be strong;
The evil of great sins I clearly see;
But O I long
To guard against the little sins of life,
To keep my heart,
To keep it pure from every petty strife;
To have no part
With those whose tendency would drag me down
From that estate,
The end of which shall be a beauteous crown
Beyond the gate.
So, as I live and strive to enter in,
My daily prayer
Is, "Lord, abide with me; keep me from sin,
I trust Thy care;
O let me ever seek to know Thy way,
Thy will to see;
Lord, guide my falt'ring steps from day to day
As pleaseth Thee."
For I must not let good and better things,
However true,
Veil from my sight the best that Heaven brings
To mortal view.
RELIGIOUS FICTION.
By H. L. Hastings
THE religious publishing houses of the day are sending forth cords of fictitious books, containing accounts of persons who never lived, and of occurrences which never happened; these yarns being spun out of the minds of their authors, and embellished with all the felicities of diction and grace of composition, until the young, fed upon such mental diet, lose all taste for solid reading, facts, truths, and history, and so are given over to the reign of fiction and folly, idealism and unreality.
Doubtless one reason for this is, these fictitious writers find it much easier to sit down and spin a yarn out of their own dreams and fancies, than to dig, delve, explore, and give facts to the people, grouped and related in an interesting manner.
Life is short. Time once wasted can never be recalled, and it is a sad sight to see thousands of young persons spending their years reading things which are not true, and which, after having been read for years and years, leave the mind empty of facts and perverted in its estimate of life and its duties and privileges, and in a condition to be misled and beguiled into paths of sin and folly and vanity.—H. L. Hastings.
WHERE ARE YOU INSURED?
By Editor
THIS is a common question in these days of revelations of corrupt insurance companies. We commend the following prospectus of a very old concern, one absolutely safe:
Its Name—The Royal Life Insurance Company. Established in the year 4004 B.C. Gen. 3:15.
President—The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 1 Tim. 6:15.
The following exhibit shows what business is done by the company:
WONDERFUL RECORD! SURPRISING FIGURES!!
Total Number Insured Since Charter Was Taken Out—"A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues." Rev. 7:9.
Paid-up Capital—"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Eph. 3:8.
Securities and Stocks—"Two immutable things," God's oath and promise. Heb. 6:17, 18.
Liabilities (The unmerited claims of the human family).—"There is none that doeth good, no, not one." "All have sinned, and come short." Rom. 3:12, 23.
Surplus Over All Liabilities—"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Cor. 2:9.
"Able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." Eph. 3:20.
A few facts to encourage all to insure:
1. It has never changed its management during a history of almost 6,000 years.
2. It has been in successful operation all these years in spite of determined opposition of men and demons.
3. This is the only company which insures against the fires of the great day of judgment.
4. It insures a man for more than he is actually worth.
5. The present benefits of this company are a hundredfold, of things needful to the body, in houses, lands, friends, and that "peace which passeth all understanding."
6. All companies offering to issue policies after death are frauds.
Conditions of Policy—"Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21.
Eligibility—"Whosoever will" may come. Rev. 22:17.
Premiums—"Without money and without price." Isa. 55:1-3.
Conclusion—This is the largest, the oldest, and the only absolutely reliable Life Insurance Company on the earth.
"Come with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel."