Earlier text: Ancient AdventistsSimilarity of Paganism and Papacy.
By John Norton Loughborough
I WILL say of the papal hierarchy, which has manifested so much of the bloodthirstiness of a Nero or Caligula, that their system of religion, to a great extent, is pagan rites and ceremonies with merely Christian names. They are thus, indeed, a great apostasy. Of this I will present proof. Waddington, a Protestant author, says: “After the conversion of Constantine, in the fourth century, when under the protection of the State, this sinful conformity to the practices of paganism increased to such a degree that the beauty and simplicity of Christian worship were almost entirely obscured; and, by the time these were ripe for the establishment of the popedom, Christianity of the State, to judge from the institutions of its public worship, seemed but little else than a system of Christianized paganism. The copious transfusion of heathen ceremonies into Christian worship, which had taken place before the end of the fourth century, had to a certain extent paganized the outward form and aspect of religion.” Dr. Middleton says: “As, therefore, my general studies had furnished me with a competent knowledge of Roman history, it so much helped my imagination to find myself wandering about in old heathen Rome as to observe and attend to their religious worship, all whose ceremonies appear plainly to have been copied from the rituals of primitive paganism, as handed down by an uninterrupted succession from the priests of old Rome.” Dowling says: “The gods of the Pantheon were turned into popish saints. The noblest heathen temple now remaining in the world is the Pantheon or Rotunda, which, as the inscription over the portico informs us, having been impiously dedicated of old by Agrippa, to Jove and all the gods, was impiously re-consecrated by Pope Boniface IV. about A. D. 610 to the Blessed Virgin and all the saints.” We will now quote three Catholic authorities on this subject. Ludovicus Vives, a learned papist says, “that no difference can be found between paganism and popish image-worship but this—that names and titles are changed.” Says Bervaldus: “When I call to mind the institutions of the holy mysteries of the heathen, I am forced to believe that most things appertaining to the celebration of our solemnities and ceremonies are taken thence; as for example, from the Gentile religion are the shaven heads of priests, turning round of the altar, sacrificial pomps, and many such like ceremonies which our priests solemnly use in our mysteries. How many things (good God!) in our religion are like to the pagan religion? How many rites common!” Baronius, called the great champion of popery, says: “In many things there is a conformity between popery and paganism. That many things have been laudably (!) translated from Gentile superstition into the Christian religion hath been demonstrated by many examples and the authority of fathers. And what wonder if the most holy bishops have granted that the ancient customs of Gentiles should be introduced into the worship of the true God, from which it seemed impossible to take off many, though converted to Christianity.” We will now notice some particular points of similarity. “In the court of the pagan emperors, the first and greatest officers were called cardinals. Now, as the bishop of Rome assumed from the pagan emperors his favorite title of Pontifex Maximus, so from the same source he gave to his counselors and courtiers the name of cardinals.”* Gavazzi says, “Seventy is the complete number of cardinals. . . . The dignity and title of cardinal are not ecclesiastical; they are a secular dignity and a secular title.143 . . . Among the ecclesiastical titles are bishop, archbishop, metropolitan, and patriarch, but never cardinal.” He says a cardinal is sworn to be an emissary, a spy, and an inquisitor for the pope. Still further, Gavazzi says: “Almost all the forms of paganism are found in the Romish church. The pagans had their Pontifex Maximus. Rome has her supreme pontiff. Paganism had its purgatory with material fire. Rome has the same. Paganism had expiations for the dead. So has Rome. Paganism had its vestal virgins. Rome has her nuns. Paganism had its processions and sacred images. Rome abounds in hers. Paganism had its penates. Rome has her peculiar saints. Paganism had its sanctuaries, holy water, pilgrimages, votive tablets, and Rome has all these too. Paganism had the perpetual fire of Vesta, and Rome has the perpetual sacrifice of the mass.”† Pagan Rome had also their mother of the gods. Papal Rome has her mother of God—the Virgin Mary. According to St. Augustine, there were not less than twenty-two thousand pagan gods. In Rome, according to the martyrology, there are more than a hundred thousand saints, real substitutes for the pagan gods, having the same names and attributes. The ancients had gods who protected nations—Belus‡ of the Babylonians, Isis and Osiris of the Egyptians, Vulcan of Lemnos, &c. The Romanists have St. Louis, the patron saint of France, St. Stephen, of Hungary, St. Patrick, of Ireland. Every nation has its patron. Again, the ancients had a temple in Rome dedicated to Romulus, claimed to be on the spot where he was suckled by a wolf. Nurses carried their babies there on his anniversary, put them over his altar, and prayed Romulus to be their patron during infancy. The same identical temple of Romulus, at Rome, is now dedicated to St. Theodorus who has become the patron saint of nurses and babies. On St. Theodorus’ day, long processions of nurses go to his temple, place their babies over the altar, and pray St. Theodorus to be favorable to them.¶ Again, Caligula was the first pagan emperor who offered his foot to be kissed. But Rome says, “All kings must kiss the feet of the pope.” Livy says, “The idols of Juno sweat drops of blood, and Apollo’s statue wept large tears.” So papal Rome to match it, on the approach of the first French invasion, arranged for sixty images of the Virgin Mary to shed tears. Gavazzi says, “We are told that, at Rimini in Italy, the picture of the Virgin Mary opened and shut its eyes. . . . From Bologna, there was sent a deputation by Cardinal Opizzoni, composed of three men, one of whom was Monsignor Battistini, a rather liberal priest, to witness the opening of the eyes; and, after many days, they came saying, ‘We have seen nothing.’ But the people, looking at the picture from the front, said, ‘Really, she is opening her eyes.’ But if anybody were allowed to look at the picture from behind, then he would know who opened the eyes. In the time of Sextus V., a crucifix wept blood. The pope took a large hammer, and saying, ‘As Christ I worship thee, but as a piece of wood I break thee,’ gave a great blow, and broke the crucifix in pieces, whereupon was found inside a mechanism of wires by means of which blood, imbibed by a sponge, and placed in the cavity, was forced out in the manner of tears of blood. It was an imposture; and so was the picture at Rimini.’”§ Pagans burned wax tapers during service. So do papists. Lactantius, reproaching the ancient heathens, said, “They light up candles to God, as if he lived in the dark; but do they not deserve to rank as madmen who offer lamps to the Author and Giver of light.” In the use of gaudy costumes, for the sake of influence on the vulgar mind, papal equals pagan Rome. Change of color, as well as richness, is made auxiliary to the popish ritual. Five varieties are used, white, red, violet, green, and black. Gavazzi says, “At Rome, in the college called ‘the Jesus,’ and in the chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola, the Jesuits have priestly dresses so studded with corals that they stand upright of themselves.” The pagans had holy fountains, holy wells, holy father Neptune, holy father Tiber, holy Ocean, and holy Naiades. “The papists have in Rome two sacred fountains of St. Peter, and three holy wells of St. Paul. They claim that when his head was cut off, it leaped so as to strike the earth in three different places, and that from each of these gushed a fine spring of water, to which the faithful resort in multitudes to drink and dance at the same time.”¶ Kirwan, in his letters to Bishop Hughes, says, “On my first remembered journey to Dublin, we passed by a place called, unless I mistake, St. John’s well. It is, as you know, one of the ‘holy wells’ of Ireland. There was a vast crowd of poor-looking and diseased people around it. Some were praying, some shouting; many were up in the trees which surrounded it. All these trees were laden in all their branches with shreds of cloth of every possible variety and color. I inquired what all this meant. I was told, ‘This is St. John’s well, and these people come here to get cured.’ But what do these rags mean hanging on the trees? I was told, that the people who were not immediately cured tied a piece of their garments on some limb of the trees, to keep the good saint of the well in mind of their application. And, judging from the number of pieces on the trees, I inferred that the number that went away cured were very few.”* At the entrance to the pagan temple was placed the aquiminarium, or vessel, to contain holy water. As the worshipers approached, they sprinkled themselves with the water in this vessel, to purify themselves from all sin. What first attracts notice as one enters a papal mass house? The very same custom. Among the pagans the holy water was composed of salt mixed with fresh water. That of the papists is made in the same way, and is precisely the same article. Among the pagans, the holy water was employed to sprinkle sepulchers and dead bodies, in exorcisms against malignant spirits. The papists use it for the same purposes; and, in exorcising the devil, the Roman Catholic priest wants his best weapon if he has not a bucket of holy water beside him. Gavazzi says of holy water, “Rome extends its application; indeed, she makes it a specific against all human ills, and a propitiator of fortunes in every undertaking. Are you sick or threatened with dangers? Lay in a good supply of holy water; it is your best antidote and munition. Baptize your new coach with it if you value your neck. Are you about to launch a steamer? Give her a good baptism of the blessed fluid, and she will be a favorite child of the ocean while two sticks of her hold together.” “Rome pushes the use of this great patent medicine still further and lower, for she holds it potent against the ravages of streams, to prevent the potato disease, to anathematize and destroy all kinds of pernicious insects. There is an especial festival of St. Anthony, the Abbot (patron saint against fire), in which the holy water flows profusely.”† Of this conformity of papacy to paganism, Gavazzi still further says, “When Christianity was imposed by Constantine on his pagan subjects, paganism introduced itself into the church of Christ. Before, the choice of religion was free; but, after he had made some laws, especially one denying service in his army, save to Christians, the profession of Christianity became almost an obligation. Commands, magistracies, were obtainable only through the portals of this new faith; it was embraced by multitudes, but with what fervor or what motive? A mercenary motive and a worse than languid fervor. . . . A pagan flood flowing into the church carried with it its customs, practices, and idols. . . . The greater part of Constantine’s pagan subjects, while in appearance Christians, remained in substance pagans; especially worshiping in secret their idols. But the church did not prevent the sin. . . . The church was then too weak to resist the abuses brought in by the inundation of paganism; further, it was no longer the upright and severe church of Christ; becoming vain of having many millions of adherents, it did not closely examine their faith.”‡ In illustrating how the things of paganism have been transferred to the Catholic church, Gavazzi says, “In the church of St. Peters at Rome, before you arrive at the great cupola, you see at the right hand a brass statue of St. Peter blessing the people. This statue is much worshiped by all Romans, especially by the clergy; the pope himself worships it publicly twice a year, on St. Peter’s day, and on the day of the chair of St. Peter. All the worshipers kiss the toe of this statue, and invoke the blessing of the foot of this statue, in order to obtain eternal salvation. Now, this St. Peter was, in the good old times of Rome, a statue of the heathen god Jupiter. The name only is changed. The pagan idolater Romans worshiped Jupiter Tonans, the papal idolater Romans worship Jupiter Peter.”§ These few facts, which might be greatly extended, show clearly the conformity of papacy with paganism. Perplexed I walk my weary way,
In doubt and darkness, day by day;
I see no earthly light to cheer,
I find no earthly comfort near;
But weak and fainting though I be,
“Thy rod and staff they comfort me!” I seek some friendly arm to aid,
The help I need is long delayed;
I look for love to hold me fast,
No human love will always last;
But though all earthly helpers flee,
“Thy rod and staff they comfort me!” My burdens yet more heavy grow,
As on the weary way I go;
And faint and hungered, weak and worn,
The while for losses great I mourn,
In longing sore I turn to thee,—
“Thy rod and staff they comfort me!” Beneath Thy smitings oft I shrink;
Thy bitter cups I would not drink;
I turn aside some path to find,
That through a better land shall wind,
Yet looking back, Thy face I see,—
“Thy rod and staff they comfort me!” And so I walk the weary way
Where’er Thou leadest, day by day;
Though smitten sore, I’ll onward press
Till I the Promised Land possess;
For faint and burdened though I be,
“Thy rod and staff they comfort me!” The Day of Clear Vision to the Dim Eyes.
By Bonar
“The eyes of them that see shall not be dim.” Isa. 32:3. These blessed words tell us four things. 1. There are eyes that do not see. 2. There are eyes that do see. 3. Of the eyes that see, some are dim. 4. The time is at hand when they shall not be dim. 1. There are eyes that see not. Of the dead idols this is said, “They have eyes, but see not;” and this is not wonderful. But that the same should be said of living men is marvelous. It is not true of angels; it is not true of devils; they have eyes, and see. It is true of men; of millions; of the greater part of our race; they have eyes, but see not. They shut them; they turn them away from their proper objects; they allow scales to grow over them; they deliberately veil them. Oh, fearful calamity! Oh, bitter curse! And yet for all this, they are themselves responsible. It is not God that blinds them, or veils, or darkens. They are their own undoers. They do not wish to see, they are resolved not to see. Self-blinded, not God-blinded! They suffer this world to blind or dazzle them so that their eyes are useless. They let Satan, the god of this world, put his hand over their eyes, or bewilder them with his snares and enticements. Thus, having eyes, they see not. 2. There are eyes that see. These are they whom God hath enlightened; whose eyes the Son of God hath opened; for it is his work to open the eyes of the blind. They did not open their own eyes. Their eyes did not open by chance. Once they were blind, quite as blind as others; but now they see. There are not many of whom this can be said; yet there are some. And what do they see? (1) They see God. (2) They see Christ. (3) They see themselves. (4) They see the word of God. (5) They see the things within the veil. They are not like the men of this world, with eyes that see outward things, sun, moon, and stars, earth and sea, woods and hills and fields. They see beyond all these—that which is spiritual and divine; that which is true and glorious. Yes; they see. In a blinded generation they see. How great a thing and how blessed to be able to say this of them—they see. They have got eyes that are not useless; eyes that do not mislead; eyes that present things in their proper light and proportions and distances. Their eyes have been anointed with the heavenly eyesalve, and they see. They no longer stumble nor grope in the dark, nor go after false objects. They see and they know that they see. 3. Of these eyes that see, some are dim. They see; but they do not see afar off. (2 Pet. 1:9.) They see; but it is dimly. Their vision is defective. They see men as trees walking. They are near-sighted, short-sighted. Their eyes require further purging. They ought to see fully and truly; but they do not. They were not meant to be dim. God has no pleasure in their being dim. The objects are vivid and distinct; yet they are seen dimly. In what respects is this the case? (1) They see but part or parts of the truth. (2) What they do see is imperfectly realized. The gospel is but half a gospel. The cross is not so full of peace and light as it ought to be. The way of life is but partially known. The coming glory has but a feeble radiance. The advent of Christ has but little value to them. Christ himself has but little of the excellence which he ought to possess to them, and is but poorly appreciated. There is, no doubt, something in the atmosphere of this present evil world that hinders vision and beclouds the eye; but still, after all, it is the dimness of the eye that is the evil. How many are all their lifetime afflicted with this imperfect vision. How much they lose by this! Their faith is not the substance of things hoped for; it is but the shadow of that substance. Hope is to them a vague expectation, with little of certainty or brightness in it. Their life has more of the cloud than of the sunshine about it. 4. The time is at hand when these eyes shall not be dim. There are many partial removals of this dimness even now; times when we see farther and more clearly. At Pentecost this was the case; at the Reformation also. In times of revival it has been so. In individual cases this has been known. Paul was a man that saw clearly. Augustine, Wickliff, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Rutherford, Edwards; these were clear-sighted men, from whom the Holy Spirit had purged the scales and the dimness. But the reference here is prophetical. The prophet points to a coming era of perfection, when we shall see Him as he is, see as we are seen, know as we are known. No dimness then; no defective vision; no cloudy atmosphere; no diseased organ of sight; all brightness and distinctness; the cross clear and bright; the light and love unclouded; Christ seen face to face, no longer in a glass darkly; every ray of glory coming freshly from his revealed countenance; every feature fair and perfect; himself the chief among ten thousand; his kingdom infinitely glorious; no doubting, either as to the things of Christ, or our interest in them; no unbelief; no error; no mist; all the perfection of vision, and the perfection of light. O day of brightness and true vision, dawn! O Morning Star, arise! O Prince of light, light of the world, make haste, end the long darkness of humanity, and cover earth with celestial sunshine! —Bonar’s “Bible Thoughts and Themes.” He gave good advice who said, If you are in trouble, don't tell it to every person you meet. Not one in a hundred will sympathize with you. Popular Opinion.
By JOS. CLARKE
“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” Ex. 23:2. “The voice of the people is the voice of God,” is an old heathen proverb; and although it is often true, yet it is far from being an unerring guide, especially upon religious matters, where it is oftenest wrong, as when it clamored for the life of Jesus and the freedom of Barabbas. On the festival of Christmas you may see, in any large town, the papists flocking to church in crowds. This the Romanist would claim as an evidence of the divine favor toward the day. To this the Protestant would object; yet he uses the same evidence in favor of the papal Sabbath or Sunday. A poet has written thus:— “What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This teach me more than hell to shun,
That more than Heaven pursue.” To suit the times, it might be thus read:— What custom dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This teach me more than hell to shun,
That more than Heaven pursue. The fashion rules the style, and custom and precedent govern the life and form the code of morals for churches and people to a great extent. This their way is their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings. Ps. 49:13. Shall you and I, dear reader, be led by the voice of the people or the voice of God? Shall we be most intimidated by the thunders of Sinai, or by the thunders of the Vatican? Let us fear God and keep his commandments. JOS. CLARKE. Ransom, Mich., April 1, 1874
By H. A. St. John
SINCE January, I have held some meetings near home, in Hillsdale Co., Mich. A few have taken their stand to obey the truth. At least ten, besides children and youth, will meet on the Sabbath for Bible-class and prayer. H. A. St. John. Ransom, Mich., April 1, 1874
Ohio: Congregation at Washington Votes for Sabbath
By Wm. Cottrell
Two-THIRDS of the congregation at Washington, Ohio, where I lectured two weeks, voted that the seventh day was the Sabbath, according to the Bible. None voted in behalf of Sunday. Wm. Cottrell. Anger, Malice, and Giving Satan Entrance
To indulge anger is to admit Satan as a guest; but to indulge malice is to close the door upon him as an inmate: in the one he finds a transient lodging; in the other, a permanent home. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” Fell, calmly asleep at Cottage, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., March 22, 1874, our brother, Ryland Warren, of quick consumption, in the twenty-seventh year of his age. Ryland loved the present truth to the end. He made most humble confession, and seemed to have much of the grace of God to sustain him in his sufferings. His words and manner showed that God had done a work for him. He said, “I love everybody. It seems that the Lord has given me love where I used to have hatred.” At the funeral, Bro. W. W. Stebbins spoke comforting words from 2 Cor. 4: 17, 18. We shall miss thee, our dear brother,
We shall miss thy loving care,
We shall miss thy voice in singing,
We shall miss thee in our prayer. But thy many acts of kindness;
Thy desire to do the right;
Thine integrity of purpose;
Are to us a memory bright. Oh! we long for Jesus’ coming
As we never have before,
When the Archangel’s trumpet wakes thee,
Death can never part us more. DIED, in Harlan, Iowa, March 21, 1874, after an illness of seven weeks, Clarence C., son of J. C. and H. L. Cox, aged three years, three months, and two days. We laid him away to rest in sweet hope of meeting soon when the dead in Christ shall rise and put on immortality. Discourse by Eld. J. M. Cox, Baptist, from 1 Thess. 4: 13-18. J. C. Cox. DIED in Clinton, Maine, Feb. 9, 1874, Estelle, wife of James A. Dickey, aged twenty-seven years, eight months, and eleven days. She embraced the truth in 1869 under the labors of Eld. Charles Stratton. She sleeps in Jesus, soon to awake in his likeness. J. B. GOODRICH. and as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand ** Services in Chicago, every Sabbath (seventh day), at 269 West Erie St. All Sabbath-keepers spending a Sabbath in Chicago are invited to attend. Providence permitting, I will hold meetings as follows: Norridgewock, Maine, Sabbath and Sunday April 18, 19; Boston, Mass., April 25, 26, 1874. These are designed to be general meetings, and a hearty invitation is extended to the friends of the cause to meet together for the purpose of understanding the duties of the time more perfectly, and manifesting greater zeal in the work of God. Geo. I. Butler. If nothing in the providence of God prevents, I will meet with the friends in Wisconsin at Mackford, Green Lake Co., April 18 and 19; at Sigourney, Iowa, April 25 and 26; also the following Sabbath and first-day, May 2 and 3, where Bro. Nicola may arrange. S. N. Haskell. Alto, Indiana, May 9 and 10; Patricksburg, Owen Co., May 16 and 17; North Liberty, St. Joseph Co., May 23 and 24; at each of the first two of these meetings there will be district quarterly meetings of the Tract Society on the first day; at North Liberty on the first day a general quarterly meeting for the State. At these meetings we hope to see all the friends of the cause in Indiana. S. N. Haskell. The Executive Committee have decided to hold our camp-meeting this season at Lodi, Columbia Co., Wis., that being the most central point in the Conference where a plentiful supply of good water and pasture for horses can be obtained. We hope those churches which have not procured church tents will attend to this important part of their work and provide themselves with church tents for the camp-meeting. P. S. Thurston, E. O. Hammond, O. A. Olsen, Wis. Conf. Com. I will meet with the church in Oceana Co., Sabbath and first-day, April 25, 26, and administer the ordinances, if the church think it a suitable time and will prepare for the same. At Whitehall, first-day evening, as Bro. Wiard may appoint. J. Byington. Quarterly meetings in California as follows:
Bloomfield, April 25, 26.
Healdsburg, May 23, 24.
Petaluma, June 20, 21.
Green Valley, July 18, 19.
Cal. Conf. Com. Providence permitting, I will hold meetings in Wisconsin as follows: At Poysippi, April 25, 26, 1874. Will some one meet me at Berlin, Wednesday morning, the 22d? At Freemont, Waupaca Co., May 2, 3; Loyal, Clark Co., May 16, 17, as Bro. Decker may arrange; Burnside, Buffalo Co., May 30, 31, as Bro. Downer may arrange. I. Sanborn. St. Charles, Mich., Sabbath and first-day, April 18, 19; also, Sabbath and first-day, 25, 26. A. S. Hutchins. Quarterly meeting with the church at Flushing, Mich., Sabbath and first-day, April 25 and 26. We hope the brethren will all attend. Bro. Fisher of Tuscola will be present. E. Hartshorn, Clerk. The quarterly meeting for Western New York will be held at Parma, May 9, 10. The T. and M. Society for Dist. No. 1 will hold their quarterly meeting in connection. Teams will be at Brockport on the arrival of the P. M. trains. S. B. Craig. Providence permitting, I will be at Partello, Mich., April 18, 19. Will Bro. M. B. Miller meet me there? D. H. Lamson. Quarterly meetings in Minnesota: At Tenhassen, April 25, 26; Sibley, Iowa, May 2, 3; Crystal Lake, where F. W. Morse and Bro. Quinn may appoint, May 9, 10; Hutchinson, May 16, 17; Litchfield, May 23, 24; Grove Lake, May 30, 31; West Union, June 6, 7. Harrison Grant. Quarterly meeting with the church at Ashwaubenon, Brown Co., Wis., May 2, 3. Would like to meet brethren from other places at this meeting. O. A. Olsen. Monthly meeting for Catt. Co., N. Y., will be held at Cottage the third Sabbath and Sunday in April. B. B. Warren. Quarterly meeting of the church at Waterloo, Grant Co., Wis., April 25 and 26, 1874, commencing at 10 o’clock. Brethren and sisters from Sand Prairie, Mount Hope, and Blooming, are invited. Will some of our ministers attend? Jehiel Ganiard. By advice of Bro. Grant, president of the Minnesota Tract and Missionary Society, in view of the bad traveling, and for other reasons, I take up my appointments for Minnesota. I shall go directly from Iowa to Indiana according to appointments in this week’s REVIEW. S. N. Haskell. New Tent for Wisconsin.
By P. S. Thurston
As the time for tent operations draws near, the need of a new tent is felt. We want to run three tents in Wisconsin the present season. One in the west, one in the north, and one in the central portion of the Conference. We believe that the old tent can be made into a forty foot tent that will last this season. Then let us raise means enough to buy one new tent. The elders of the different churches, and the ministers, are requested to immediately make an effort to raise money for this purpose, and send it to William Kerr, of Monroe, Green Co., the Conference Treasurer. When you ascertain the amount that can be raised, please inform me of that amount. P. S. THURSTON, Pres. Wis. Conf. P. Z. KINNE
By P. Z. Kinne
As the quota for the N. Y. and Pa. Conference on trial volumes of REVIEW and Reformer is full or nearly so, it is thought best to cease special efforts in that direction after this week. Kirkville, N. Y., April 12, 1874. THE Youth's Instructor is published monthly by the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, and is a noble sheet. Relative to size, general taste, richness and variety of matter, it is decidedly the very best juvenile paper in our country. Who has not been disgusted with the dog and cat stories, and a thousand and one silly things in nearly all the children's papers in the land? And what seems the very climax of folly, is the effort of many writers to come down to an insipid, baby-talk style in their productions. As with very many of the books in the Sunday-school libraries, so in many of these youth's periodicals, they are cursed with a sort of religious fiction. We are glad to see the Instructor dealing in, not only the great matters of religion and the world to come, but also the most interesting and instructive matters of fact relative to this world and this life. It is expected that the subscription lists of the Instructor will be so increased that it can be afforded to all for 25 cents a year. It is now offered at the following Old Subscribers, 50 cents
New “ 25 “
Specimen copies sent free.
Address, REVIEW & HERALD,
Battle Creek, Mich. The Health Reformer is a Monthly Magazine, containing thirty-two pages of reading matter, devoted to Physical, Mental, and Moral culture. Price, $1.00 a year, in advance. Those who wish to subscribe for the Health Reformer for their friends, and actually pay for it for their friends, can have it for 50 cents a year. The several branches of the Tract and Missionary Society are invited to continue to send the names and addresses of thousands of subscribers at 50 cents a year, when paid for out of the T. and M. treasury, according to the rules and regulations of the Society. The leading object of the Health Reformer is to teach those who are well how to remain well, and the sick how to gain health. It is devoted to mental and moral culture so far as these are connected with physical improvement. Each number of the Health Reformer is complete in itself, so that the subscription can commence any month in the year. Those wishing this journal will please inclose One Dollar, at the risk of the Publishers, in a note stating their name, the name of their post-office, county and State, safely enveloped, and addressed, HEALTH REFORMER,
Battle Creek,
Mich., and they will in return receive the monthly visits of a Health and Household Journal that reveres God, honors the Bible, and leads in the path of health, purity and happiness in this life, which are necessary to a good hope of the life which is to come.
PUBLISHERS. Negro Jury Convicts Two Murderers in North Carolina
TWELVE simple-minded but honest negroes, a majority of whom could not read or write, set an example in North Carolina the other day, which the New York juries that acquitted MacFarland and gave the elegant Stokes four years at Sing Sing should take seriously to heart. A month ago, a white boy was murdered by two negroes. They were arrested and brought to trial before a jury composed entirely of colored men. After hearing the evidence, the unlettered jurors retired and in an hour returned with a verdict pronouncing the prisoners guilty of murder in the first degree. The judge, in pronouncing sentence, took very proper occasion to draw a contrast between those twelve negroes, representing honest ignorance, and the twelve white men at New York, representing dishonest intelligence. Evidently the interests of justice have not suffered in the South by admitting the freedmen to the jury box.