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Signs of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 46.

General Articles
Earlier text: ENFORCEMENT OF THE "CHRISTIAN SABBATH."

The Cost of Educating Children

A SWEDE wisely replied to an Englishman when he asked if it was not costly to take children off the streets and highways and place them in special schools, as is done in that land where illiteracy is almost unknown: "Yes, it is costly, but not dear. We Swedes are not rich enough to let a child grow up in ignorance, misery and crime, to become a scourge to society, as well as a disgrace to himself."

FROM THE FIELD.

MICHIGAN, Allegan.—Sabbath, Nov. 18, I was at Allegan by request of Bro. Littlejohn, to attend baptism. Many came from Monterey. A deacon was ordained, one added to the church, and three young men baptized, the fruit of Bro. Littlejohn's labor. D. M. CANRIGHT.
St. Charles.—The good work of the Lord was prospered in a week of labor put forth in this place in November. In consequence of the muddy roads and scattered condition of the brethren, we could not hold meetings at the meeting-house in the village, but we have visited from house to house, and held meetings in a school-house some two miles from town. When Sabbath came we had a full attendance. Two discourses were given during the day, and in the afternoon twenty-four, who were not members of the church, responded to a call to come forward for prayers. On Sunday, eight, in the presence of many witnesses, were buried with their Lord in baptism. A. O. BURRILL. M. B. MILLER.
VERMONT, Warren and Moretown.—Since our last report, we have given lectures in Warren and Moretown. Three have embraced the truth in Warren. Eld. McLucas, a First-day Adventist minister at Burke, Vermont, has taken his stand upon the truth, to observe and advocate the Sabbath. D. T. BOURDEAU. R. S. OWEN.
NEBRASKA.—Elder Boyd writes encouraging news from this field, especially of the interest in missionary work. "The quarterly meeting of Dist. No. 2 was held at Seward. Notwithstanding the meagerness of their income, the few here ordered thirty copies of the SIGNS to assist in letting the precious light of present truth shine in that vicinity."
KANSAS, Ballard's Falls.—M. and H. Enoch report a ten weeks' meeting at this place. They say: "Besides laboring for the church we held a series of meetings at the Ballard school-house. Nine were converted and added to the church,—eight by baptism and one subject to baptism. One joined by letter. There are several others who began to keep the Sabbath, that we hope will soon join also. The Lord blessed our labors very much. The church was much strengthened, and is better prepared to fight the good fight of faith." They also report good interest in the missionary work.
MAINE, South Woodstock.—Bro. S. J. Hersum reports meetings here as follows: "Ten, in all, commenced to serve the Lord, and to keep his holy Sabbath; others who had backslidden took hold anew. Four were baptized; others, I hope, will go forward in this duty soon. We obtained three subscribers for Good Health, two for the Review, and eleven for the Youth's Instructor, and six copies of the SIGNS, with the premium, were taken for the Milton church. Sold about $17 worth of books and tracts."

CAUSE IN ENGLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

WE have gained another name to the covenant. Two were baptized October 30. We have secured fourteen signatures to the Teetotal Pledge, and half as many more to the Anti-rum and Tobacco Pledge. The last six weeks have been the most encouraging with our depository of any like period.
The last quarterly report of our Tract and Missionary Society is as follows:—
No. of members..................................................29 “ that reported..................................................13 “ families visited................................................1,022 “ letters written..................................................271 “ printed letters sent out......................................4,780 “ letters received..................................................299 No. of new subscribers obtained...................................30 No. of periodicals sent by post..............................11,374 “ “ periodicals distributed otherwise....................2,910 “ “ periodicals sold................................................131 Total....................................................................14,415 Pages of tracts, etc., loaned......................................9,910 “ “ “ “ given away...........................................19,461 “ “ “ “ sold......................................................12,984 Total....................................................................42,355 Book sales............................................................$34.70 Donations..............................................................3.24 Total....................................................................$37.94 Ships visited.............................................................101
Having received an urgent invitation from the General Conference Committee to attend the General Conference in Battle Creek, Mich., Dec. 1, I decide to go. I have nearly completed preparations for the journey, and have engaged passage by the “North German Lloyd” steamer Rhein, which is appointed to leave Southampton for New York, November 15. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Southampton, November 10, 1881.

CHRISTIAN GIVING.

A CONGREGATION, which has about four hundred communicants, had taken up a collection, which the treasurer was about to count. The editor of the Christian Giver thought he would like to see just how the collection was made up and asked the privilege of counting and classifying it. The following table shows the result:—
No. of pieces. Value of each. Total.
145 1 cent $1 45
2 2 cents 4
8 3 cents 24
25 5 cents 1 25
7 10 cents 70
3 25 cents 75
190 $4 43
This was about one cent to each person present and two cents average for each giver. More than half gave nothing. Apropos thereof, we add the following: At a large gospel meeting in Cooper Institute, recently, Mr. Sawyer announced that a collection would be taken to assist several poor and suffering families, and asked that each would aid according to his ability and the pressing need of the case. A general movement was made for purses and pocket books. In a front seat sat a man whose whole appearance bespoke comfortable circumstances. He got his purse open and as a half dollar pushed itself to the front he took it out and laid it in his hand. Next a quarter came out and was laid beside the half. Then a dime looked out and was passed on to the company of its superiors. At last the long-looked-for cent appeared. It was picked out and placed between the lips until the other coins were replaced in the purse and the purse in the pocket, then it was held in the fingers until the basket came and carried it off to relieve the suffering families. Perhaps that cent represents the value of the treasure laid up above by the one who bestowed it.—Christian at Work.

SOJOURNER TRUTH ON TEMPERANCE.

By Editor

THERE are few people in the United States, perhaps, who have not at least heard of Sojourner Truth. Born a slave, and unable to read or write, she has a wonderful gift as a speaker, and, although over a hundred years old, is still very active. She is a shrewd observer, and, as will be seen by the following extract from a speech lately delivered by her in Chicago, observes to some purpose. A better temperance sermon could not be given in the same space:—
"As I have said a number of times, there is no need of sending the gospel to the heathen abroad. There are heathen at home. God will take care of the heathen as he took care of me.
"I want to bring forward the truth that we don't live in self-denial. I know many 'temperance' people who profess to be temperate, yet they chew tobacco and smoke. What kind of 'temperance' people are they? We never can gain any ground without denying ourselves. They would not deny themselves a cigar or a chew of tobacco for Jesus Christ. It is the truth. I have known ministers who smoked. What dirty mouths to take the name of Jesus in! Tobacco will kill a snake if you put it in its mouth. Do you think that the spirit of Jesus gets into the body of the man who has tobacco rolling around his tongue, and who slobbers around? No, never! Jesus is pure and undefiled. I was at a 'temperance' meeting this fall, where they were praying and talking, and the president was a smoker. Think of it! He spoke about whisky and purifying the men in the traffic. He needed purifying himself. Think not that tobacco-chewers are any better than whisky-drinkers in the sight of God! They set an example to children—little boys—Sabbath-school scholars. See them around the cars at the depots picking up the ends of cigars and smoking them! Do 'temperance' people ever look at that?
"Talk about 'temperance'! A chew of tobacco makes an appetite for spirits. Havn't you got sense enough to know it? If you belong to the 'temperance' people throw tobacco overboard as well as whisky. I have seen 'temperance' people in the church chewing and making a puddie on the floor almost big enough for a bug to swim in. I have seen that in the churches and on the cars, and the chewers were religious people too. I have seen ministers lay aside a quid, pray, and then put the tobacco back into their mouths again. Only think of it! Look at the heathen at home.
"I am putting these things before 'temperance' people that you may see what belongs to 'temperance.' There are enough who talk about whisky. I talk about the things you don't talk about at all. You talk about whisky enough, but you don't talk about tobacco. The biggest part of society, I have found, are tobacco chewers. You cannot be 'temperance' people without cutting loose from tobacco—the nasty weed.
"But I must hurry because I suppose some one wants to take my place. This dwells on my mind—seeing so many young men and women who will not deny themselves of the ungodly things of the world for the sake of Jesus. They tell how much they love him, but won't throw a single idol away for him."

Smoking, Drink, and Future Generations

By New York Herald

CAN a nation already enfeebled and effeminated by smoking long endure the strain of strong drink? What kind of children will the next generation be? A man with an inflamed stomach, a swollen head, and unsteady nerves may know enough to turn off the gas when he goes to bed, but he will be exceptionally fortunate if his children have sense enough to do anything at all.—New York Herald.

Worms in Tobacco

Mr. Comb, a North Carolina tobacco grower, says the most tedious and repulsive part of the work is “worming”—picking off the ugly-looking green worms—and children and turkeys do it. “But,” he adds, “a large amount of tobacco is not picked clean, and during the year an habitual chewer will eat several hundred worms that are pressed in the tobacco.” You can take 'em if you chews.—The Morning.

Beer Makes People Stupid

Bismarck says "Beer makes people stupid, lazy, and impertinent."

PRINCIPLE AND FEELING.

By J. Y. Dobbins

“FEELING is the most irregular element and least trustworthy test. It belongs to the passive part of our nature ; principle to the active part. Feeling depends on a sensitive surface ; principle on depths of moral purity. Feeling changes with temperament, with states of health and nerves, with a thousand fickle influences ; principle is independent of all physical or alterable circumstances, moves straight on, through all moods and climates, sails by fixed stars, and is the same secure and glorious thing, through all the shifting seasons, though the mountains of prosperity be torn up and cast into the sea.” So wrote F. D. Huntington, and the statement is worthy of the careful attention of all Christians, not alone for the vigorous and beautiful language in which it is clothed, but for its own value. Religion is first, last, and always, a body of principles, not of emotions necessarily. We must attend with great care to the principles of our blessed religion, and the emotions will take care of themselves. Clear convictions of God, of salvation through his Son, and the resultant duties to us—these must be the foundation of that religious life which endures ; mere feeling cannot sustain it.—J. Y. Dobbins.

There Is That Scattereth, and Yet Increaseth

“THERE is that scattereth, and yet increaseth.”

MISS DEBBY'S PRAYER.

By Kate Sumner

"I should like to know something about my parish," said Mr. St. John, the new minister, at Appleton, coming down into the sitting-room where his boarding-mistress, good Mrs. Smith, had just settled herself, knitting-work in hand.
"Of course I shall try to get acquainted with each one individually, but I would like to know at first if there are any special peculiarities, or anything of that kind to be avoided or looked out for."
"Well, no, not as I know of," replied Mrs. Smith, dropping her knitting, and pushing back her spectacles for a talk. "Not as I know of—excepting Miss Debby Hopkins. You remember her, don't you? She sat in the broad aisle, about half way up. She's the richest person in town, owns the mills and a big farm, and her own sister lives right within stone's-throw, almost, of her, and takes in sewing for a living—has hard work to get along sometimes, too, I guess, if the truth is told. Miss Debby must know it, but not a finger will she lift to help her."
"You see Miss Debby was the eldest, and Maria, that's Mrs. Miller, was the youngest, and the old Squire's pet. Guess Debby always was a little jealous of her, though she was proud of her, too. Fact is, Debby's family pride's her besetting sin—that's been the trouble. She was always down on Miller for some reason or other, though most folks liked him; did her best to break up the match, but the Squire and Maria were completely blind to his faults. He turned out to be a miserable drinking fellow—more'n all that he gambled, and at last forged the Squire's name for considerable. That broke the Squire down completely, and finished Debby."
"He'd disgraced the family, and she vowed she'd never have anything more to do with Maria unless she'd leave him and take her maiden name again. Maria wouldn't do that, but stuck to him through thick and thin, and it was mostly thick, I guess. He had tremors, and I don't know what all. It was a relief when he died. I believe he repented and tried hard to reform before his last sickness. Maria was left without a cent to her name, but with no end of debts. Folks thought Debby would relent then, but she didn't; said Maria had made her bed and must lie in it now, and she has, so far as Debby is concerned."
"But after all, I pity Debby the most; she ain't happy, anybody can see that in her face—and Maria is; for if ever there was a saint on earth, it's Maria Miller. I'd rather be in her place after all. It makes a good deal of talk, for Debby's a church member, too, 'in good and regular standing,' as they put it. Some go so far as to say she's a hypocrite, and they don't care nothing about being Christains if she's a sample."
"Has any one remonstrated with her, tried to soften her heart?"
"Oh, land, yes; but you might as well talk to the stone wall round her orchard."
Mr. St. John sighed. It was his first parish. He was full of earnestness and wanted all to be in harmony that they might work together to best advantage. Presently he went up to his own room, and on his knees sought for wisdom and help in this emergency. Then he put on his hat and sallied forth directly towards "The Poplars," as Miss Debby's house was called.
Miss Debby was expecting him—of course he would visit her among the very first he called upon—and received him in state in her best parlor. They talked for a while of this and that. Finally Mr. St. John said cautiously, "Have you any family?"
"No, sir," was Miss Debby's quick reply.
"Indeed," said Mr. St. John emphatically, "it's very sad to be entirely alone in the world—have you no relatives living?"
Miss Debby calmed a trifle, suddenly deciding within herself that she did not like this new minister at all, he was so very impertinent. And there he sat waiting her answer.
"I have one sister living, but she's dead to me for all that. She brought disgrace to our family, that never had anything to blush for before; she and hers were the cause of my father's death, and I shall never forgive her."
Then Miss Debby, expecting censure or remonstrance at least, drew herself up proudly, ready to fight it. But not one word of remonstrance or rebuke did Mr. St. John utter. Instead, he only said, apparently very irrelevantly, "I suppose, Miss Hopkins, you never make use of the Lord's prayer?"
Miss Debby began to wonder if the new minister was quite right—quite sound in his mind.
"I am in the habit of using it every night at family devotions, sir," she replied very stiffly.
Mr. St. John looked very astonished.
"You omit one clause, do you not?" he asked.
"No, sir, why should I?" replied Miss Debby in a tone expressive of both indignation and curiosity.
"How can you pray your Father in Heaven to forgive you your trespasses as you forgive those who trespass against you—if you feel you can never forgive your sister?"
"The cases are not parallel," said Miss Debby.
"No, I suppose not quite, for our heavenly Father has infinitely more to forgive us than ever we can have to forgive our fellow-men."
And then, thinking he had said enough, Mr. St. John rose, politely made his adieus—and went directly home, to his own room, to prayer, earnest prayer. Perhaps that had something to do with Miss Debby's uncomfortable frame of mind after he left. Do her best, she could not set herself about anything, nor could she forget his question. Indeed, the more she tried to forget, the more persistently it rang in her ears.
He was on his knees praying for her, you remember.
To think her sins were infinitely greater against God than Maria's against her—and yet all these years she had been praying that He would forgive her as she forgave. Poor Miss Debby, she passed a very uncomfortable afternoon, and the evening was worse yet.
It was her custom to meet her servants in the dining-room for devotion every evening, and she always used the Lord's prayer with them.
What should she do! She could never repeat it again, she was sure, unless—but that was out of the question, she told herself impatiently; she had said she would never forgive Maria—and she could, not. She wished Mr. St. John was back where he came from, anywhere but here. But he was here, and had spoken his word to her.
What should she do!
The clock struck eight; then it was quarter past—it struck the half hour; it would soon be nine, and what she was going to do. Things she had not thought of for years were flitting through her mind, one after another—childish ways and sayings of Maria—how she had loved her. Somehow, the old house became all at once unutterably still and lonely, and her life seemed suddenly to have become very forlorn.
But above all thoughts there rang in her ears the words, "And if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you yours."
It was a dreadful thing to be unforgiven. She was getting along in years, could she go down to the grave with her sins, unpardoned?
It was quarter to nine—Miss Debby dropped on her knees.
Her pastor, alone in his room, was still pleading for her.
But not a word came from Miss Debby's lips, only at last she broke down and sobbed like a child—she had not shed a tear for years. Then she rose, and putting on her mantle, went out into the darkness, and swiftly down the street to the little cottage where Maria had lived since her husband died. She opened the door, and went directly in to her sister's side.
"Maria"—
"Deborah"—
That was all at first, but presently Deborah lifted her head from Maria's shoulder; "Will you, can you forgive me?" she said, "and come home with me to our home?"
The servants at "The Poplars" waited and waited. "Miss Debby had not seemed quite herself at tea time," the housekeeper remarked, but as she always sent word if unable to attend devotions, she thought they had better wait. Half past nine came, and just as they were about to disperse, the door opened, and Miss Deborah appeared, leading her sister Maria by the hand. I doubt if there was one there that knew what Miss Deborah read, or where, that night, they were so astonished, but not one but heard her prayer. Never had she prayed like that before in their presence.
"Oh, Father of sinners," she pleaded, "do thou look in pity on us and forgive us, not as we forgive, but as thou only canst forgive. And do thou come into our hearts and reign there, then shall we cast out all our sin, bitterness, and anger, and be like thee, full of compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."
Miss Deborah waited for Mr. St. John the next Sunday after church.
"I want to tell you," she said, putting out her hand, "that I hope my heavenly Father will forgive me, as my sister has forgiven me."
Mr. St. John went home very thankful—not surprised, but thankful.
"This is only a beginning," he said, "I expect to see a great work of the Lord here."
Nor was he disappointed.
"There must be something in it," said one to another, "to change Miss Debby Hopkins so completely."—Kate Sumner.

A LITTLE SERMON.

AT a railroad station not long ago, one of the beautiful lessons which all should learn, was taught in such a natural, simple way, that none could forget it. It was a bleak, snowy day, the train was late, ladies' room dark and smoky, and the dozen women, old and young, who sat waiting impatiently, all looked cross, low-spirited, or stupid. Just then a forlorn old woman, shaking with the palsy, came in with a basket of little wares for sale, and went about mutely, offering them to the sitters. Nobody bought anything, and the poor old soul stood blinking at the door a minute, as if reluctant to go out into the storm again. She turned presently, and poked about the room as if trying to find something, and then a lady in black, who lay as if asleep on a sofa, opened her eyes, saw the old woman, and instantly asked in a kind tone, "Have you lost anything, ma'am?"
"No, dear, I'm looking for the heating place to have a warm 'fore I go out again. My eyes are poor, and I don't seem to find the furnace nowhere."
"Here it is," and the lady led her to the steam radiator, placed a chair, and showed her how to warm her feet.
"Well, now, ain't that nice?" said the old woman, spreading her ragged mittens to dry.
"Thank'ee dear; this is proper comfortable, ain't it? I'm most froze to-day, bein' lame and aching; and not selling much made me sort of down-hearted."
The lady smiled, went to the counter, bought a cup of tea and some sort of food, carried it herself to the old woman, and said, as respectfully and kindly as if the poor soul had been dressed in silk and fur, "Won't you have a cup of hot tea? It's very comforting such a day as this."
"Sakes alive! do they give tea at this depot?" cried the old lady, in an innocent surprise that made a smile go round the room, touching the glumest face like a streak of sunshine. "Well now, this is just lovely," added the old lady, sipping away with a relish. "That does warm my heart."
While she refreshed herself, telling her story meanwhile, the lady looked over the little wares in the basket, bought soap, pins, and shoestrings; and cheered the old soul by paying well for them. As I watched her doing this I thought what a sweet face she had, though I considered her rather plain before. I felt dreadfully ashamed of myself that I had grimly shaken my head when the basket was offered to me; and as I saw a look of interest, sympathy, and kindness, come into faces around me, I did wish that I had been the magician that called it out. It was only a kind word and friendly act; but somehow it brightened that dingy room wonderfully. It changed the faces of a dozen women, and I think it touched a dozen hearts; for I saw many eyes follow the plain, pale lady with sudden respect; and when the old woman with many thanks got up to go, several persons beckoned to her, and bought something, as if they wanted to repair their negligence. There was no gentleman present to be impressed by the lady's kind act; so it was not done for effect, and no possible reward could be received for it except the thanks, of a poor old woman. But that simple little charity was as good as a sermon, and I think each traveler went on her way better for that half-hour in that dreary station.—Sel.

The Home Circle.

By Frances Ridley Havergal

"ENOUGH."

I AM so weak dear Lord, I cannot stand One moment without thee; But oh! the tenderness of thine enfolding! And oh! the faithfulness of thine upholding! And oh! the strength of thy right hand! That strength is enough for me.
I am so needy, Lord, and yet I know All fullness dwells in thee; And hour by hour that never-failing treasure, Supplies and fills in overflowing measure, My least, my greatest need. And so Thy grace is enough for me.
It is so sweet to trust thy word alone, I do not ask to see The unveiling of thy purpose, or the shining Of future light on mysteries untwining; Thy promise-roll is all my own— Thy word is enough for me.
The human heart asks love. But now I know That my heart hath from thee All real, and full, and marvelous affection; So near, so human! Yet divine perfection Thrills gloriously the mighty glow; Thy love is enough for me.
There were strange soul-depths, restless, vast, and broad, Unfathomed as the sea, An infinite craving for some infinite stilling; But now thy perfect love is perfect filling; Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord, my God, Thou, THOU art enough for me! —Frances Ridley Havergal.

ITEMS OF NEWS.

By Editor

—Three hundred persons died of cholera at Mecca, in one day last month.
—An attempt was made recently to murder Manuel Lerdo, the Governor of Mexico.
—The library of Harvard College has received gifts amounting to $135,000 since 1870.
—Ex-president Tappan, of the Michigan University, died recently in Switzerland, aged seventy-seven years.
—The Crescent City Railroad stables in New Orleans were burned recently. Fifty horses perished. Loss $30,000.
—At Winterset, Iowa, Dec. 2, three girls aged 9, 12, and 17 years, who were sleeping in an upper room, were burned to death.
—The Cashier of the Bank of Prince Edward Island, has absconded with over $800,000 of the Bank funds, and the Bank has suspended in consequence.
—The officers at Prescott, Ontario, have made an extensive seizure of American coal oil, which has been smuggled into Canada during the past few days.
—An attempt was made on the 3rd inst., to blow up the Montreal City Court House. A clock-work machine was used, which contained ten pounds of dynamite.
—November 29, two propellers on Lake Michigan, the Lake Erie and the Northern Queen, came into collision near Green Bay, and both sank. The crews escaped.
—On the thirty-fifth anniversary of Dr. R. S. Storrs' settlement as pastor of the church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn, N. Y., the members of the church presented him with $35,000.
—A party of five men who left Ophir, Col., to walk to Silverton, several days ago have not been heard from since, and it is believed that they perished in the snow, which is very deep.
—A special engine with caboose, came into collision with a passenger train on the New York and New England road, near Thompson, Conn., Dec. 3. About a dozen persons were injured.
—At Virginia City, Nevada, workmen in the bottom of a mine drilled into an unexploded cartridge of giant powder. The cartridge exploded, and several men were terribly mangled.
—A fire November 29, destroyed the entire business portion of Augusta, Ark. Loss about $200,000. On the same night the Court House at Decatur, Texas, was burned. Loss about $150,000.
—Last week a man at Port Costa, Cal., after drinking freely, went to his cabin to sleep, leaving, as is supposed, his candle or pipe burning, and as a consequence was burned up with his house.
—Four large flouring mills, and one cotton mill, were burned at Minneapolis, Minn., on the night of the 4th. Total loss, over half a million dollars. Four men were killed, and several severely injured.
—The works of the American Rubber Company, at East Cambridge, Mass., were burned on the 28th ult. Loss about half a million. The works consisted of five large buildings, and 600 hands were employed.
—The barns of Maxwell Bros., near Geneva, N. Y. were burned Nov. 30, and fifty Holstein cattle, five horses, fifty hogs, and a large quantity of hay, etc., were destroyed. Loss $50,000; cause, incendiary.
—A novelty in the line of chicken stealing has been recently introduced in San Francisco. While the attention of a family was attracted by an accordeon in front of the house, a party relieved the hennery of two dozen fine chickens.
—J. W. Stevens who was found guilty of robbing the mail of three registered letters at Caliente, Kern Co., Cal., was sentenced to one year in the State prison, at hard labor. The sentence was made light in consideration of his age.
—November 29, ten freight cars were thrown over the embankment near Cape Horn, on the Central Pacific. Seven cars containing cattle, fell a distance of 200 feet. Fifty head of cattle were killed, and the rest escaped into the woods.
—A brakeman on the Central Pacific Railroad, was crushed to death by a freight train, at West Berkeley, Cal., Dec. 4. He was running to open a switch, when his foot got caught, and before he could extricate himself, the train passed over him.
—The Arabic language is the spoken tongue of 60,000,000, and the sacred language of 120,000,000 of Moslems. The entire Bible has been translated into it, and is now issued in many editions, either complete or in parts. An edition of the same in raised Arabic characters is also issued for the blind.
—It is impossible to estimate the damage done by the gales on the British coast, and they still continue. Along the western islands and on the west coast of Inverness, Ross, and Sutherland, over three hundred fishing boats were destroyed by the late gales, and the nets and fishermen washed away.
—The Methodist Judicial Conference at Terre Haute, Dec. 1, refused to entertain the appeal of Dr. H. A. Thomas, on the ground that Thomas had gone out of the church since his trial, and the church had no jurisdiction in any case except those of the members. This settles his case so far as the Methodist church is concerned.
—Outrages seem to be on the increase in Ireland. The landlords suffer persecution, and those tenants who will pay their rents are liable to be killed, and have their property destroyed. One farmer had an entire flock of sheep battered to death. All parties are stubborn. One thousand tenants in Roscommon refuse to pay rent. They declare that they will not apply to the land court.
—A daring thief, on the 3d inst., captured a box from the Commercial National bank, Cleveland, containing $117,000 in bonds, from which the president of the bank had just cut the coupons. The man had been sitting in the office, and when the cutting was finished, and the bonds replaced in the box, he quickly took the box from the table, and disappeared being gone half an hour before the bonds were missed.
—Thurlow Weed says: "Neither George Law, Dean Richmond, nor Commodore Vanderbilt could have passed a competitive examination for the berth of night-watchman in the Custom House, or letter carrier in the Post-office." He has preserved letters from all three, in which not a single word of three syllables is spelled correctly. Still it is not necessary to the acquirement of wealth that one should be a poor speller.
—Quite recently a babe two months old died in Oakland from the effects of an overdose of "Pulmonary Cough Syrup," administered by its mother. The cause of death was the opium which the medicine contained. The amount of opium taken was about fifteen times what is considered a dose. There is always danger in using patent medicines, for it is impossible to tell how much material of a poisonous nature they may contain.
—John Hilliard, president of the Mechanics' and Laborers' Bank, at Jersey City, which suspended in 1878, has been convicted of conspiracy to defraud, and sentenced to eighteen months in the State prison. The cashier of a Caldwell, Kansas, Bank, that had received deposits until the hour of suspension, was for several days in the hands of a mob, who were determined to kill him unless their money was returned. Altogether the way of the Bank defaulter does not promise to be an easy one.
—Recently a stage robber was arrested in Colorado, and sentenced to the Detroit House of Correction for life. On the way, the convict picked the lock of his hand-cuffs, and struck the Marshal over the head, knocking him down, and then seized his revolver and tried to shoot him. Although there were seventeen men in the car, none came to the Marshal's assistance, and he would have been overpowered, had not a woman seized the ruffian around the neck from behind, and thus enabled the Marshal to secure control of his prisoner.
—A large school of whales was recently encountered by the steamship Newport, off the capes of Delaware, on a trip from New York to Havana. The school was about twenty miles in length, by a quarter of a mile in width. Suddenly the ship shook from stem to stern, as she struck a monster sixty feet long, and cut him in two. The ship came to a stop, and it was found that her steering gear was slightly damaged. Soon another shock was felt, which almost threw the passengers from their feet. Another whale had been cut in two. The engineer rushed to the deck, thinking the ship had struck a submerged wreck. The course of the steamer had to be changed in order to proceed.
—The New York Herald says: That there are paying gold and silver mines in the United States; and that some large fortunes have been earned from them is beyond denial; but taking the mines and miners in the aggregate, what business shows so small results in proportion to the number of persons engaged and the amount of capital invested? In three States and as many Territories the production of the precious metals is the principal object of the people, and yet the total annual yield is less than $80,000,000. This should not discourage legitimate, intelligent mining operators, but it certainly indicates that most men lose their heads when they begin to search for gold and silver.

HOLIDAY BOOKS FOR OLD AND YOUNG!

By Editor

HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES.

Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, six vols............$6.00 Rollins Ancient History, in two royal octavo volumes, small pica type (Bound in Muslin)............................................5.00 Bound in Library Sheep...........................................6.50 Complete works of Flavius Josephus, royal octavo size, pica type,...3.00 D'Augbine's History of the Great Reformation, five volumes.......4.50 Dowling's History of Romanism....................................4.00 Half Morocco.....................................................4.75 Life and Times of Luther.........................................1.50 Life of Alexander Duff...........................................2.00

FINE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.

The Bird World................$5.00 | Indian Mirror..............$1.75 Mysteries of the Ocean......5.00 | Book of Bible Pictures......1.50 The Mountains...............5.00 | Stories of Bird Life........1.50 Child's Bible...............5.00 | Treasures of the Deep.......1.50 Land of the Pharaohs........4.00 | Earth and its Treasures.....1.50 Those Holy Fields...........4.00 | Alpine Adventures.........1.50 Animal Life.................2.50 | Pilgrim's Progress........1.50 Story of the Bible...................1.00

BOOKS FOR YOUTH AND CHILDREN.

Pillar of Fire................$2.00 | Schonberg Cotta Family.....$1.00 Vivians of Woodiford..........1.50 | Lucy Raymond...............1.00 Home Life in Palestine........1.50 | The Greek Maid.............1.00 Nannie Davenport..............1.50 | Life and Labor of Mary Lyon..1.00 Earthen Vessels...............1.50 | Edith Somers............... .90 Tom Bentley...................1.50 | Jessie's Work.............. .90 Ellen Dacre...................1.25 | Tip Toe.................... .80 Tim the Scissors Grinder......1.25 | Vatican Council............ .80 Sequel to Tim.................1.25 | The Climbers............... .80 Gutta Percha Willie...........1.25 | Sybil Grey................. .80 Paul Venner...................1.25 | Jane Taylor................ .75 The Hard Problem..............1.25 | Following on to Know....... .75 Little Nellie.................1.25 | Star of Bethlehm........... .70 Lenore's Trial................1.25 | May Coverly................ .60 Story of a Pocket Bible.......1.25 | Jonas Clare................ .60 Almost a Woman................1.25 | The Glen Cabin............. .60 Glen Elder....................1.15 | The Boy Patriot............ .50 Climbing the Mountain.........1.15 | Songs for the Little Ones.... .70 The Brother's Choice..........1.10 | Jesus the Way.............. .25 Almost a Man..................1.00 | Little Will................ .25 Treasure Poems...................... .10
Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.

ROYAL OCTAVO, 838 PAGES. 285 ENGRAVINGS

THE PICTORIAL CHILD'S BIBLE.

BEING A Consecutive Arrangement of the Narrative and other portions of the Old and New Testaments, In the words of the Authorized Version, embellished with NEARLY 300 FINE ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS.
THIS is a most beautiful book for children of all ages, and a very VALUABLE HELP TO PRIMARY TEACHERS Of Sabbath-School Classes.
The text is in Great Primer type, and is printed on heavy, calendared paper, making a large and elegant volume, royal octavo size, of 838 pages.
While the Bible is a book for all, there are some parts of it which are as milk for babes, and some as strong meat for men. The publishers of the "Child's Bible" have endeavored to put in consecutive form such portions of the Holy Scripture as seem best adapted to the wants and capacities of childhood, in the words of the Bible text. And where the sense requires it, words and clauses have been inserted in brackets, sometimes as summaries of what has been omitted, and sometimes as connecting links.
Believing that the youth should know at what cost the English Bible was won and preserved for them, there has been prefixed to this edition an account of the Sacred Scriptures from the time of their origin to the present day, prominence being given to the struggle of the English Reformers for its translation into the English language.
The numerous engravings were executed by the best artists of this country and of England and France. They will assist in interesting children in the text, and will aid in the instruction of those too young to read.
Price, in Muslin, marbled edge, $5.00 | In Morocco, gilt edge,.......$8.00 Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.

YOUNG'S ANALYTICAL CONCORDANCE

TO THE

HOLY SCRIPTURES.

THE latest and most complete work of the kind ever published is now offered at a price within the reach of ### EVERY BIBLE STUDENT.
This book places in the hands of every earnest student, knowledge heretofore limited to a very few.
IT CONTAINS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND MORE WORDS Than Cruden's Unabridged Concordance. It gives every English word, also the Hebrew and Greek original words, with their pronounciation and literal meaning. The Greek and Hebrew words are transliterated so that they are intelligible to any English reader.
A complete index of the original words is added, referring them to the English words under which they are found. Price, postpaid, $3.25. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.
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