In viewing the scenes of this earth John was permitted to behold a picture that he sets out as one of the most significant of the signs of the very times in which we are now living. His description of the scene is: “And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” Rev. 11: 18.
Note how clear and plain the scripture is in pointing us to one of the evidences by which we may know when “the time of the dead, that they should be judged” is reached. He says “the nations were angry.” What could be plainer? It is not simply a little indication of war here and a slight uneasiness yonder, but “the nations were angry.” Not one nation, nor a few of the nations, but the “nations.” This expression could take in nothing less than the whole world.
Well, then, when “the time of the dead, that they should be judged” is come, God makes the fact clear so that we may know it by simply giving attention to one of the great signs—that at that time the “nations” are “angry.” And when God gives a sign, it is sufficiently marked to carry with it the conviction of the truth which it signifies. Our heavenly Father wants us each one to know when “the time of the dead, that they should be judged,” is come. And so He selects, and directs us in clear sentences, to one of the very significant things that particularly marks the approach of that great day. And so wonderfully significant is to be the spirit of war at that time that He says to us, “The nations were angry.”
Who is there that has not been impressed by the most tremendous preparations for war that have been going on, especially during the last ten years? And while these appalling war equipments are being forged, how significant the fact that the “nations” are “angry” and that one war-cloud is following another in rapid movements all the time? Who would have thought twenty, yes, even ten or five, years ago that the whole of the so-called “Christian” and “civilized” world would be or even could be so soon stirred up to pounce upon “heathen China”? And that, too, with all the cruel barbarity that the death-dealing instruments of modern warfare may command.
The tornado of war, with its center in China, that is now resounding through all the world, may seem to subside for a little time, but what will it signify?—Simply the little sleepy calm that precedes the greater fury of the rapidly-approaching and destructive storm of war. There can be no mistaking the fact that we are even now in the very time when the “nations” are “angry,” and it is certainly only a miracle of divine power that is holding them from plunging at once into “the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
This world’s Redeemer is a tender, compassionate Saviour. And He is graciously pointing us to these things that we may flee to Him as the perfect shelter from the impending storm. “For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isa. 25: 4. T.
THE GREAT WAR SPIRIT.
THE attention of the whole civilized world is still riveted upon China, because of the warlike demonstrations that are centering around the old empire. The complications are such that all the leading nations of Europe, and Japan as well, are involved in the quarrel. And even the United States is seriously asking herself the question, “What part am I to act if war shall ensue?”
This great military outburst is all occasioned by two missionaries from one of the churches of Germany being killed by a body of recognized Chinese banditti in the province of Shantung, China. The situation as a whole is an exceedingly serious as well as ludicrous caricature on the sentiment that has been voiced by so many that we are just entering a great era of peace—a millennium of joy. There stands “poor benighted heathen China,” with the “great civilized and Christian nations” of Europe letting the war-dogs loose into her defenseless and benighted territory to tear her in pieces. And the “great Christian nation” of the United States sees no special reason why she should interfere unless perchance her commercial interests should be jeopardized, and in that case she will have to “step in and assert her rights.”
Before Peter was converted he had a very warlike nature. And when this fighting man, who was afterward to be the subdued and tender apostle, drew his sword, the great Head of the Christian church said to him, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Matt. 26:52. Could one of the great foundation principles of the church be made clearer than this scripture states it? And since the Master would not recognize the use of the carnal sword when drawn to defend His own person, will He accept its use any sooner in behalf of any one of His followers?
Then are the “great powers” acting in harmony with the instruction of Christ, the Head of the church? And in all this clamoring for bloodshed is there any possible right to the title of “Christian”? Our Master, the tender, loving, gentle, and pitying Christ, is not the prince of war, but the Prince of peace. Then let our influence ever be to try to enlighten and win over those who are masquerading under that sacred name of Christian, while perhaps they do not even know that they are being fed on by the spirits of demons in their awful clamors for war.
“You are a lawyer, and in the habit of receiving testimony, cross-questioning a witness. If you had a case in court concerning which I knew facts which would be to your advantage, would you be willing to accept me as a witness?”
“I should, most certainly,” he said.
“You would believe what I would tell you as a matter of personal testimony?”
“Most assuredly.”
A VIEW OF THE FARALLONE ISLANDS.
CALIFORNIA SCENERY, No. 2.—“The Farallones” are a group of seven rocky islands, 30 miles west of Golden Gate, considered the western border to San Francisco Bay. They were called St. James Islands by Sir Francis Drake, in 1578. They abound in seals and sea-fowl. At one time the Russians had a fishing station on the islands, and in one year took there 80,000 sealskins. A government lighthouse is now maintained on the islands, as will be seen by our illustration.
“Very well. I will tell you only what I know, as a witness should. Here is my Bible,” and I reached it out toward him. “Put me under oath just as you would if I were in court.”
He drew back a little and said hastily: “No, no; I will not do that. I would accept your testimony in court without an oath—I certainly will here.”
“Very well; then the point of testimony which I have to bring to you first of all is this: I know that there is a God, a being who is my Father. I am acquainted with Him. He has taken care of me all my life, and made Himself known to me, so that He has left no room for me to doubt.”
“But,” he began hastily, “that is the very point”—I interrupted him.
“But please remember that I am the witness. I am not telling you hearsay; I am simply stating what I know. Do you think it is fair to interrupt me in the course of my testimony until I transgress the law of testimony? Because you do not know that there is a God, is that any evidence that there is no God? May it not be possible that I may be acquainted with some one whom you do not know? If I should come to you and say that in my recent trip to Philadelphia I had met a man who knew of you, and had sent you a message by me, what would you do?”
“I should wait for the message.”
“Yes, you would not consider it honorable even if you had never heard of him before to say, ‘I do not believe there is any such person who has sent a message to me.’”
“No, no. I am ashamed of myself. I apologize,” he said. “The fact that I do not know that there is a God is no proof that He does not exist. I will never be guilty of such an indecorous act again.”
“Then I can proceed with my testimony. I not only know that there is a God, but I know now that He has sent a message by me to you. I did not know that until now, but now I do know it. It is His wish and purpose to make you acquainted with Him. He has not, however, made it possible for me to introduce you. He has reserved that right for Himself, because you are just as truly His son as I am His daughter; and His love to you, His regard and interest in everything which concerns you, is just the same as His love and interest toward me; and He intends to come into personal contact with every one of His children, yourself included. There is just one way by which He makes Himself known, and He must have your consent to become acquainted with Him.”
“But,” said my friend, “I know what you are going to ask me to do. You are going to ask me to pray; and I can not pray. I would not be heard by your God if I did, according to the statements of your own Bible which you hold in your hand; for that Book says that if we come to God we must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him; and I believe neither—so I am completely shut out by the only terms upon which your God proposes to make Himself known to any one. The starting-point is a faith which I can not have.”
“No, you are entirely mistaken. The starting-point is not faith. There must be faith before you can please Him or be used by Him but He knew there would be men just like you, and provided for you as for every other one of His children. The starting-point is yet lower down—just where the man out of whom all faith in God seems to have been entirely destroyed, can reach it.”
I then opened my Bible to the eighth chapter of 2 Corinthians, and read the twelfth verse: “If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not.” “This is the starting-point: the only thing required is willingness to be taught, an honest, willing heart.”
“Is that in the Bible?” he asked.
I placed it in his hands, opened at the passage read. He fixed his gaze intently upon it for a moment; he turned the pages, closed the Book, and looked it all over, and then, returning it with a smile, he said:—
“I have wondered before if your Bible was not a little different from the ordinary copy; but, seriously, even on those terms I find no ground for faith.”
“There is just one thing to be settled,” I said, “are you an honest man? I wish that I could for one instant get down inside your thought, and know whether you are an honest man.”
He gave me a quick glance, then suddenly dropped himself against the arm of the rustic seat in which he was sitting, and closed his eyes. His face became deadly pale. The power of the Spirit of God had come upon us and shut us in in a manner such as I had never before realized in my life. Once or twice he opened his eyes and glanced at me; but for a long time he remained in the same position, with the intensity of his thought traced in changing lines on his white face.
At last he raised himself a little, and, looking at me, frankly said, “I believe I am an honest man.”
“You are the one to know,” I replied, “and if you are, God is not impossible to your consciousness. But the manner of His revelations must be a secret between you and Him. I shall not attempt to help you to that knowledge. It would be foolish in me. But I ask you if, during the next few days, while you remain at this assembly, you will not seek God. Go to Him the last thing at night and ask Him to reveal Himself to you on your knees alone, open your heart and mind to the knowledge of Him. Meanwhile, I will myself pray to my Father and your Father, that He will grant this petition.”
“That will be to pray. How can I pray? What words can one use who does not believe in God? How can one speak out into nothing, to nothing, for nothing?”
“But,” I said, “what of my testimony? Does it really not mean anything to you that I told you that I know there is a God? If you10would believe me in a court-room, you must believe me now. Have I not a right to ask that you will believe my testimony as well as hear it? You said that you receive me as a witness, and that you would believe me, even if I were not sworn. I have not given you a common report. I have told you what I know. I have told you that I do know. Are you in the habit of repudiating the testimony of an accepted witness like that?”
After a few moments of painful silence, he said: “You are right; I can not impeach your testimony. It ought to be a basis of some sort of belief, and I do at least believe in the sincerity of your belief, whether it be correct or not.”
“But am I in your opinion a dupe, made to believe dreams and visions that will not stand the test of investigation, and then left to declare that they are real? Remember, I am not asking you to take my words as evidence, but only referring you to the Source of knowledge. I have asked you to allow God to prove Himself to you.”
“I ought to be willing to do that,” he answered.
“Yes, if you are an honest man, you ought to be willing to do that much.”
Again with closed eyes, his face set and pale with the intensity of his feelings, he sat a long time silent. I prayed; and the Spirit of God drew yet nearer and shut us in more closely with Himself. I shared the conflict that was going on in that proud, strong man’s soul, and I must leave you to imagine the effect when at last he lifted his eyes and said with an intense earnestness, “I will do it.”
I felt the tears rushing to my eyes. I did not wish him to see them, so without a word I arose hastily and went to my own cottage, and upon my knees laid the case before God. While on my knees I was suddenly confronted with this question, What if he should do as you have asked him and fail? Have you not made a very bold proposition to him? I was appalled for a moment at the possibility thus presented; but as the assurance which I had given was fully warranted by the Word of God, I knew that it could not fail; that if the man brought a truly honest heart to the investigation, he would be answered by evidence which he could not withstand; that if he did not bring an honest heart, God would vindicate Himself and His servant.
Before dismissing the matter for my regular work, I went to “headquarters” and laid it before those who would have as deep an interest in it as I could, and would surely join in the prayer for the answer of God to this soul; and from that time there was a constant breathing of prayer about him as he moved among his fellow-workers. MRS. S. M. I. HENRY.
Battle Creek, Mich.
(Concluded next week.)
“NOT AS I WILL.”
“Not as I will! The sound grows sweet
Each time my lips the words repeat,
Not as I will! The darkness feels
More safe than light when this thought steals,
Like whispered voice, to calm and bless
All unrest and all loneliness.”
IT IS WELL TO REMEMBER.
THAT if you are so unfortunate as to spill grease on your floor, pour some cold water on it at once, as this will cool it quickly and prevent it from soaking into the boards.
That if washed up with strong potash water, after scraping off the surface grease, it will absorb the rest. Put on with a handled mop, on no account touching it with the hands, as it will take off the skin quickly.
That if there are brown marks caused by dripping from the faucet, in the marble basin or water-closet bowl, wind a piece of cloth around a stick or tie it tight, wet with soapy water, and rub on sapolio, and apply.
That I got rid of the little red emmets in my pantry by a persistent use of powdered borax, having often tried many things. The shelves were washed every day for a while with boiling hot borax water put on with a handled dish mop, allowed to dry on, and then dry borax sprinkled freely on the shelves. I kept this up for a fortnight or more, and at last had the pleasure of finding none left, and have never seen one since. I have been told by those who have tried it that it would drive away water bugs if persisted in.—Good Housekeeping.
MEDICAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION.
By M. E. Olsen
The various philanthropic enterprises connected with our work have had an almost phenomenal growth in the last few years, and other interests of a similar nature are rapidly springing up on every side, showing clearly that the providence of God is leading His people in this direction. To consider the needs of this branch of the work, study the institutions in successful operation in Chicago (including the Chicago Medical Missionary Training School, only started a couple of months ago, yet having already an enrollment of more than 150) and agree on some general plans of co-operation which would still further facilitate the work, a Medical Missionary Convention was called for December 7–16, and was attended by a large number of representative men.
Among the representatives of the Medical Missionary Board we might mention Drs. J. H. Kellogg, W. H. Riley, A. J. Sanderson, A. N. Loper, D. H. Kress, David Paulson, and A. B. Olsen.
The General Conference was represented by Elders G. A. Irwin, A. T. Jones, N. W. Kauble, J. H. Morrison, A. J. Breed, L. A. Hoopes, A. F. Ballenger, and others.
Some fifteen conference presidents were in attendance, having charge of conferences ranging from the Atlantic states on the east to California on the west and Tennessee on the south.
The convention was formally opened the morning of December 8. The first few days were very profitably spent in studying the general principles that underlie the health and philanthropic work, and seeking divine guidance as to how it could best be carried forward. Many precious seasons were enjoyed. The Lord’s blessing was felt in a very large degree, and all the brethren in attendance knew that the Lord had set His seal to the undertaking.
Several meetings were held daily. Following11are some of the subjects thoroughly discussed: Visiting Nurses’ Work, The Conducting of Medical Missions, Christian Help Work, How to Find Homes for the Homeless, the Holding of Open-air and Cottage Meetings, Self-supporting Missionary Work, etc., etc. Between the meetings the time was fully occupied in visiting the various philanthropic and charitable organizations, and studying their plan of operation. The evenings were devoted to attending the Gospel meetings held at the Star of Hope, Workingmen’s Home, and other missions, and observing the grand work which the Lord is doing there. Some attended the cottage meetings held in different parts of the city, or accompanied the young men who are doing Gospel work in the saloons. These opportunities for seeing in active operation the various organized efforts for alleviating human distress, ministering to the needs of body and soul, and in short carrying on the work begun by the Master when He was upon earth, seemed to be much appreciated by the brethren in attendance at the convention, many of whom themselves had intensely interesting experiences, and left the city with the assurance that some souls had been saved as a result of their work.
The Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association has the principal part of its college at Battle Creek, Michigan. Here its physicians and skilled nurses are mainly trained. The above is an illustration of the operating-room in its hospital.
Sunday morning, December 12, witnessed the dedication of the building occupied by the Medical Missionary Training School. Mrs. S. M. I. Henry delivered the address, and Elder A. T. Jones offered the dedicatory prayer. Sister Henry dwelt especially upon the thought that this building with its corps of 150 students and workers, was only a window through which the help and succor furnished by the people of God all over the country, could be sent out to the needy, and where the homeless and friendless can stop for a little rest, and then be sent on to Christian homes waiting with open arms to receive them. This same thought was taken up in other meetings of the convention, and it was expressed as the sense of the convention that every Seventh-day Adventist home should be a mission, and every Seventh-day Adventist farm a rescue farm. Surely this will be so when our eyes are opened to the want and wretchedness that there is in the world, and our hearts are made tender by the Spirit of God, so that we begin to feel the same interest in the welfare of others that we do in ourselves.
Sunday afternoon and evening services were held in the Trinity Methodist Church of this city, presided over respectively by Hon. C. C. Bonney, and Dr. William E. Quine, dean of the College of Physicians and Surgeons. The afternoon meeting was in the nature of a conference, the subject being “Methods of Co-operation in Practical Gospel Philanthropic Work.” Friendly Visiting, Deaconess’ Work, King’s Daughters’ Work, Relief of the Unemployed, Cottage Meetings, etc., were discussed in five-minute addresses by Dr. J. H. Kellogg, Miss Clara Morehouse, Mr. W. S. Sadler, and others. The question of holding a general philanthropic congress was considered, and the meeting voted in favor of the idea, and requested the chair to appoint a committee to make the necessary arrangements. The chair appointed Dr. Kellogg and Mr. S. Sherin.
The chief addresses of the evening were delivered by Dr. Kellogg, who took up the subject, “Plans and Purposes of the Medical Missionary Training School and School of Practical Philanthropy,” and by Miss Mary E. McDowell, who discussed the “Field for a School of Philanthropy.”
The remaining days of the convention were filled to overflowing with important business. The great principles which underlie the health-reform movement were studied with an ardor and enthusiasm seldom seen before; and as old prejudices were laid aside, and every heart was set to know the will of God and do it, light came in, and a new luster was shed over this important subject. Monday afternoon an experience meeting was held which lasted five hours, and yet nobody was tired. The sweet Spirit of the Lord was felt to a very large degree, and it was good to be there. Many testified that they had never been present at a meeting where the power of God was so manifest as on this occasion.
With such a complete harmony of sentiment as to principles, there was, of course, not the least difficulty in agreeing upon a basis of co-operation.
The plan of holding schools of health in the conferences, and setting a part of the canvassing force to work in organizing these schools, and introducing our health journal, Good Health, was thoroughly discussed, and met with general approval. Arrangements were also made in a general way for trained nurses and instructors in Christian help work to be sent out from the Sanitarium to engage in laboring among the churches, to organize Christian help work in the churches. As a further means of disseminating the health principles, and awakening a more active interest in working for the poor and fallen, it was proposed to hold institutes or conventions for the laborers, and also amongst the churches. Several of the Conference presidents made arrangements before leaving for nurses to be sent from the Sanitarium to assist in this way, and others expect to hold an institute in the near future. The urgency of the work seemed to impress all, and if the brethren carry back with them the enthusiasm and interest manifested at the convention, as they no doubt will, it will not be long before the churches will be deeply stirred.
The closing meeting, Thursday morning, was a very impressive one. The first part of the meeting was devoted to summing up a few of the most important principles to be observed in carrying on the work. Dr. Kellogg dwelt especially upon the need of seeking divine guidance at every step, and never trying to carry things through by sheer force of human planning. He also emphasized the importance of beginning small and letting the enterprise grow as the Lord blessed it. This brings the work within the reach of every individual Sabbath-keeper, every company, and every church. All can do something, if it isn’t more than coming together once a week to patch up old clothes and distribute them to the poor. As an instance of the many calls for Christian homes, it was stated that twenty persons had called at the school the day previous, and they were coming that way all the time. If the school should take them all in, it would have to provide a dozen buildings as large as the one it is now occupying. Hence the crying need of homes to which these people can be sent with the assurance that they will be welcome, and will be helped to live honest, virtuous lives.
Prayer and praise occupied the remainder of the forenoon. The brethren seemed to be very glad that they had come, and no one doubted that they had met the Lord, and received light and blessing from Him. We feel sure that the marked manifestation of God’s power on this occasion was due to the fact that His people were studying a work and principles of special importance at this time, and that as other conventions or institutes are held in different parts of the country, taking up the same subjects, they will be attended with a like outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May there be a great many of them, and may the time soon come when every child of God will be thoroughly imbued with the principles of Gospel health reform, and actively engaged in alleviating the want and suffering of his fellow-men, and thus winning souls for the Master.
M. E. Olsen.
PRAYER FOR MORE FAITH.
By Phillips Brooks
I HEAR men praying everywhere for more faith, but when I listen to them carefully, and get at the real heart of their prayer, very often it is not more faith at all that they are wanting, but a change from faith to sight.
“What shall I do with this sorrow that God has sent me?”
“Take it up and bear it, and get strength and blessing out of it.”
“Ah, if I only knew what blessing there is in it, if I saw how it would help me, then I could bear it!”
“What shall I do with this hard, hateful duty which is laid right in my way?”
“Do it, and grow by doing it.”
“Ah, yes, if I could only see that it would make me grow!”
In both these cases do you not see that what you are begging for is not for more faith, altho you think it is, but sight?
You want to see for yourself the blessing in the sorrow, the strength in the hard and hateful task.
Faith says not, “I see that it is good for me, and so God must have sent it,” but, “God sent it, and so it must be good for me.” Faith, walking in the dark with God, only prays Him to clasp its hand more closely, does not even ask Him for the lighting of the darkness, so that the man may find the way himself.—Phillips Brooks.
MASUT—A NEW FUEL.
By T. A. W.
In the future we may be importing masut instead of exporting coal. Masut is a by-product in the distillation of raw petroleum. It is also manufactured from a cheap brown coal found in Saxony. There has been until recently great trouble in finding a furnace suitable for burning it. It is now blown by steam into a special furnace, on the principle of the Lucigen light, and used without difficulty. It is forty or fifty per cent. cheaper than coal, and is twenty per cent. better as a heat raiser. Steam can be got up quicker and kept at a higher pressure and more work be done by the machinery. From a naval point of view these are vitally important facts. No sign of a ship under full steam will be shown in the sky, for masut is a smokeless fuel. Russia and Italy are using it in their navies, and Germany has lately made some valuable experiments. At Kiel, Wilhelmshaven, and Danzig, are tanks from which it can be pumped into ships. Its specific gravity being so much less than that of coal, a ship’s buoyancy is greatly increased when the bunkers are filled with it. Heavier armor or cargoes can be carried. The heating capacity being greater, the ship can travel faster or further. It is yet to be learned what improvements the Germans have introduced into their furnaces, and what are the disadvantages of masut.—T. A. W. World.
Getting Out of Debt
“A MAN kin run inter debt,” said uncle Eden, “but when it comes to gittin’ out he’s got to crawl.”
Thought and Love in Every Minute
“You can put into a minute of time only just so much manual labor, but you can add to the same minute thought and love.”
AT THE BAR.
“Who speaks for this man?” From the great white throne,
Veiled in its roseate clouds, the voice came forth;
Before it stood a parted soul, alone,
And rolling east, and west, and south, and north,
The mighty accents summoned quick and dead:
“Who speaks for this man, ere his doom be said?”
Lo, from the solemn concourse, hushed and dim,
The widow’s prayer, the orphan’s blessing rose;
The struggler told of trouble shared by him,
The lonely of cheered hours and softened woes;
And like a chorus spoke the crushed and sad:
“He gave us all he could, and what he had”!
And little words of loving-kindness said,
And tender thoughts, and help in time of need,
Sprang up like leaves by soft spring showers fed,
In some waste corner, sown by chance-flung seed;
In grateful wonder heard the modest soul,
Such trifles gathered to so blest a whole.
O ye, by circumstance’ strong fetters bound,
The store so little, and the hand so frail,
Do but the best you can for all around;
Let sympathy be true, nor courage fail,
Winning among your neighbors, poor and weak,
Some witness at your trial hour to speak.
—All the Year Round (1877).
NEW YEAR’S DAY AT THE ALMSHOUSE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
By B. F. Richards
What a lovely day it was; the sun shone bright and clear, and the people of San Francisco seemed to take delight in saying, “What a beautiful day for the new year to begin its work!” and so it was! On this day a company of about eight persons resolved to visit the almshouse over the hill to see if we could not cheer some lonely heart housed within. The start was made, but before we reached the top of the long, winding hill, we came to a group of children who had gathered to witness a strange12sight. One of the inmates of the almshouse, quite an aged man, had been out walking, and for some reason did not notice a deep ditch along the side of the road, so when he came to it, he fell headlong within, and met his death instantly by breaking his neck. We did not expect to be called on to witness such a sad sight as this when we left the city. So as we met at the almshouse chapel with a company of the inmates to worship the Lord, our songs, prayers, and remarks were laden with strains of sadness, for we were forcibly reminded that death is abroad in the land, and there are so many poor souls unprepared to answer the call when He comes.
At the close of the service we asked those present if they were not tired of the old boss they had been serving, and if they were willing to make an exchange for the Lord Jesus to make it known by raising their hand, and to our delight three men raised their hands. From here we went to the Old Women’s ward—a room perhaps fifty feet long by twenty wide, in which were about thirty women, some of whom were over ninety years of age; and as we looked into some of their dear old motherly faces, we thought of the sons and daughters who were perhaps somewhere on the earth enjoying selfish gains, while mother had been sent over the hill to the poorhouse. After a few words of encouragement about Jesus, the Friend to the poor, had been spoken, and a few songs sung, we went to other wards with equally as interesting features. At the close of the day we made our final call at the reading-room of the men. Here we found about 250 men, ranging in ages from 35 to 80 years, and we believe there were fully 200 men smoking pipes. As we opened the door, the vile tobacco smoke rolled out in clouds, seemingly anxious for a chance to escape. As we looked within, we thought first it would not be safe to enter, but we were there for Jesus’ sake, so in we went. As we took our stand at the farther window, the eyes of the crowd were on us, and after one hymn had been sung, we talked to them of the signs of the times, the condition of the poor, and the change that would take place soon when the LORD JESUS CHRIST would come.
Good attention was given, and men under the influence of whisky asked us to forgive them for their actions when we first began, and urged us to come again. We came away thankful to GOD that another way had been opened in which we could work for Him.
