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Signs of the Times, Vol. 1, No. 43.

The Sermon
Earlier text: Speech of an Unconverted Brahmin

The Churl "Nabal"

By Jos. Clarke

"Was churlish and evil in his doings." 1 Sam. 25:3. "The instruments of the churl are evil." Isa. 32:7.
It appears that Nabal was a man of great wealth, and he held a great feast in his house (at the time when he had gathered his flocks together for shearing), like the feast of a king (verse 36); and it also appears that the army of David had been of great service to the interests of Nabal; for the shepherds in Nabal's employ testified that the soldiers of David were as a wall of fire to them by night as well as by day. But Nabal was too selfish and ungrateful to appreciate the favors he had received, and by which he had been greatly enriched; and when the servants of David in their extremity of need came to Nabal for succor, he repulsed them with rudeness and reproaches.
All of the great preparations made for Nabal's feast were of the most liberal character; yet now when the starving soldiers of David came to him for food, his heart suddenly contracted, and he changed his mind suddenly to a point of indignant selfishness, and he charged their master David with being a refugee from justice, a runaway from his proper place, and classed him with runaways and deserters.
Previous to this, no doubt he had fawned upon David, and had befriended his cause while his sheep were scattered among the mountains; and David and his men were to his shepherds and flocks as a wall of safety; but now his fleeces were secure, and he did not think any farther, only to grasp more tightly whatever was in his hands.
Thus it is with the natural, the carnal heart. Covetousness springs up naturally in the soil of the human heart, and all the evil nature of man is fostered by it. This greed of money grows to a frightful degree, and freezes out the love of the truth, and the love of God, and love to man. It congeals the heart to stone, and churlishness is often the result of this base passion. Often the noble youth starts out in life full of great and excellent aspirations, but stopping to accumulate, he becomes enamored with gold, and it becomes his god. For this he labors, and saves, and plans, until his whole heart and life are enlisted in the pursuit. Perhaps he is morose and sour to his friends, and cold to all that do not tend to add to his possessions. All his mind is a vast encyclopedia of profit and loss, and his morality is weighed in the same balance with his goods, in the old avoirdupois, and he detests such investments as promise poor or doubtful profits.
In the warm sun he sees only such rays as warm his fields and ripen his grain; and the rain is only useful, if it water his lands; no matter if storms scatter the produce of a country, if it spare his, all is right.
The history of Nabal is a suggestive and instructive one. His great feast was to advertise his great liberality, yet in the midst of its festivity he snubbs his old friend who comes to his door and begs a morsel from his overflowing board. His story is soon told (read verse 38). Alas, how many in this age treat the cause of God in the same manner. When it is briefly stated that the cause of God is in want of means, then these "upper ten" Nabals fly into a rage, and berate the servants of David, and call their master hard names. How little they think of the death stupor of Nabal.
Jos. Clarke.

Cultivate the Good Seed

The most important truth cannot be too early learned, nor the journey that leads heavenward too soon begun. The enemy lies awake while we slumber, and if we neglect to cultivate the good seed, his tares will cover all the surface.

White Robes.

By John Ozias Corliss

WE are sometimes asked, when teaching the near coming of the Lord, if we believe in making white robes, which is evidently an allusion to the oft-repeated "ascension-robe slander." We reply that we do not believe in a literal garment of cloth, but in one of a far different nature.
Our Saviour says: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment." Rev. 3 : 5. We also read, in Rev. 7 : 9, that John saw a great multitude before the throne clothed in white robes; and the question, "Whence came they?" reply was made, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." It would seem from this that these robes have been stained, or spotted, but have passed through a cleansing process and been whitened. In Rev. 19 : 8, we are told that the fine linen is the righteousness of saints, and Moses, after rehearsing before the children of Israel God's commandments, says: "It shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." Deut. 6 : 25.
"All unrighteousness is sin," says the apostle, which is in harmony with his statement in another place, where he affirms that "sin is the transgression of the law." In giving his law to man, God revealed to him his will, and also his character, which he tells us are pure and holy. See Ps. 145 : 17 ; 19 : 8. If, therefore, we willfully transgress God's law, we not only disregard his will, but fail to acquire the righteousness pointed out by that law, and which was exemplified in the character of our Lord Jesus Christ; and hence our righteousness becomes like that spoken of by Isaiah as "filthy rags." But Zechariah says that when iniquity shall have passed from us, we shall be clothed with a change of raiment. This "change of raiment" is the "robe of righteousness." Isa. 61 : 10.
There is efficacy alone in the blood of Christ to remove those stains of sin which have so spotted our characters, and even then if we disobey the commands of God our garments again become soiled and need the cleansing process.
We may be denounced here for having respect unto all of God's commandments, yet, like the sweet singer of Israel, we need not be ashamed (Ps. 119 : 6), if we can only please our Heavenly Father who has, by the gift of his Son, opened a way by which we may be restored to his favor, and be permitted to walk with Christ in white.
The prophet, in view of this prospect, offers the following words of consolation to those who may be reviled for obeying God: "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation." Isa. 51 : 7, 8. Then let us arise and put on strength in the name of the Lord, and press the battle to the gate.—J. O. CORLISS, in Review and Herald.

The New Office.

By J. E. Waggoner

COMMENCING WORK.

For some time our rented rooms on the corner of Twelfth and Broadway were much too small for the carrying on of the work of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES with any degree of comfort. Hence we have for several weeks been looking with no small degree of interest on the progress of the carpenters who were erecting the new Office on Castro street between Eleventh and Twelfth.
By an effort on the part of carpenters, plasterers, and painters, two commodious rooms were completed before the rest of the building, and pronounced ready for occupancy, Friday, Aug. 27, which day was devoted to moving material and getting ready for the work of the coming week.
Before commencing work in the new building it seemed appropriate to invoke the blessing of the Giver of every good gift upon this branch of his work in which we are especially engaged, and to thank him for his prospering hand which has seemed to direct ever since its first establishment upon this Coast. It was started in a very humble manner in two small rented rooms on the second floor. Now we were to commence work in perhaps the finest Office building upon the Pacific Coast.
So Last Sunday morning as we were about to commence work, all hands, including carpenters, painters, and printers, assembled in the type room while Bro. Charles Jones read the second chapter of Titus and offered a prayer for the blessing of God upon the work carried on, and upon the hands engaged in the work.
To us who had been accustomed to commence our week's work in this manner in the Michigan Office, it seemed like the revival of a precious season, and we went about the work of the week with the assurance that God would sustain and prosper this branch of his work, and would bless those who were conscientiously endeavoring to push it forward. We earnestly request the prayers of all of God's people upon this enterprise.
J. E. W.

Gilroy, Cal.

By John Norton Loughborough

SABBATH and First-day, Aug. 28 and 29, I had four interesting meetings with the band in Gilroy. Found them firm in the truth. Fourteen signed the covenant. Among these was a lady who has been several years a Catholic, but who has heard and embraced the truth since the tent-meeting closed there. S. B. was organized amounting to $148.70 per year. There are still others whom we expect will place their names on the covenant and on Systematic Benevolence.
As they have enrolled their names, organized S. B., and a leader has been appointed, they passed a resolution requesting the watchcare of the Conference, and elected a delegate to our State Conference, to be held at Fairfax, Sept. 23-30.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Hollister, Aug. 29, 1875.

Hollister, Cal.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Our meetings are still of interest here, though the attendance is small. We did not expect to remain here as long as we have remained, but finding we could not pitch again before camp-meeting, we continued here. Yesterday was a good day to those who love the truth. The spirit of the work seems to be with them, and testimonies were given with many tears. Twelve have signed the covenant, and we hope for others.
The weather has changed somewhat, but it is not yet as cold as we expected to find it. We feel very free in speaking, knowing that it is better to preach to a few who are deeply interested, than to a crowd of careless hearers.
J. H. Waggoner.
Hollister, Aug. 29.
It is one of the weaknesses of our nature, when, upon a comparison of two things, one is found to be of greater importance than the other, to think this other of scarce any importance at all.
Were it not for the scorching drought we should not appreciate the refreshing shower. With less conflict we would have less victories ; with less trial, less joy.
"A dead man can drift down stream, but it takes a live man to pull up against it. That is the time that tries a man's soul—when the tide is against him."

Missionary Department.

By John Norton Loughborough

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Eccl. 11 : 6.

What Tracts Are Doing.

THERE is a brother keeping the Sabbath in South Africa, 500 miles from Cape Town, who was brought into the truth by reading. I have thought for some time that I should make a minute of this case to encourage and stimulate all our T. and M. members to activity and zeal in the work.
In the summer of 1869 this brother was living in Nevada. Elder Bourdeau and myself were at that time holding tent-meetings in Healdsburg. The interest in our tent-meeting was at the highest pitch. I was to speak one Sunday evening upon the subject of the United States in Prophecy. A Methodist church was dedicated that day at Windsor, six miles distant, by Eld. Benson, one of the editors of the California Christian Advocate. The resident Methodist minister of Healdsburg, undoubtedly wishing to run opposition to our tent meeting, and thinking the prestige of the elder from San Francisco would draw the crowd, announced for him to speak in Healdsburg the same evening of our discourse on the United States. Alas! While our tent was filled the S. F. elder had only about a score of hearers.
When the elder returned to San Francisco and published his next paper, he came out, in an editorial, in bitter terms against us and our work. In his article he first called attention to the Advent movement of 1844, in which the ministers so explained “Daniel’s prophecies that a child could comprehend them.” He ridiculed that movement in his article for a time, and then said “A remnant, however, persist in holding on to the fallacy. They will be nothing but Adventists, albeit, they are careful not to say just when the Lord will be revealed from Heaven. They are not a whit less arrogant and boastful of their skill in unfolding the hidden mysteries of prophecy, than were Miller and his co-laborers. Their wisdom and fluency amuses ordinary mortals who go to hear them unfold the dark sayings of the ancient seers. . . . In public they are cautious as to the language they use in speaking of the churches; but they sell books and pamphlets in which their bitterness and fatal errors are fully revealed.” In conclusion, he stated, “No one fears that such teachers will ever effect any permanent organization.”
As to his last statement about permanent organization, we can only point to the results of six years of labor: to sixteen organized churches in this State, with some six hundred earnest Sabbath-keeping Christians; a thoroughly organized State Conference; a well organized and efficient missionary society; and a legally organized publishing house with a capital stock of $28,000, as some tokens in the line of “permanent organization” and of this we expect more still, for our motto is onward!
But to return to the bearing of this upon the case in hand. About ten days after Eld. Benson’s article appeared in print, a letter came to Healdsburg from Nevada, addressed “To the Elders at the Tent.” On reading the letter, we found that Eld. Benson had been doing some advertising for us, and were strikingly reminded of that scripture which says, “They can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” The letter was from our Nevada friend, now a Sabbath-keeping brother in South Africa. He wished us to excuse him for addressing us in the manner he did, as he did not know our names. Said he for a number of years he had read his Bible, and had been especially anxious to understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Several times he had written to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, to get works on the prophecies, but he had not yet succeeded; but seeing what Eld. Benson said about our speaking on the prophecies, and that we had books treating on our views, he ventured to write. He requested us to send him some of our works by Wells and Fargo’s express, to be collected on delivery. This revealed the fact that Elder B. had done first class advertising for us.
We found that to send books by express, it would cost our friend about as much as the price of his books. So we ventured to mail him “Thoughts on Revelation,” and works, such as we then had, on Daniel, the sanctuary, the three messages, spiritualism, signs of the times, and a number of tracts, worth, in all, $2.50. This accompanied with a letter respecting the nature of our mission here, and correcting the misstatements of Eld. B. We also called our friend’s attention to works we had upon other topics, and to the Review, Health Reformer, and Instructor, published at Battle Creek, Mich.
In about ten days we received a letter from him, expressing the greatest delight and thankfulness for his books, and sending us a twenty dollar gold piece, wishing us to send him the Battle Creek periodicals, and a few more books of other kinds, and desiring us to use the balance of the money in our work here. I continued to write to him and to send him books until he had a copy of all the works published at our Office in Battle Creek. These with the papers amounted to about $13. At his request, we applied the balance, $7.00, to the work here. He read, believed, and became more and more interested in the mission, and before our summer’s tent campaign in 1869 closed, he sent us $40.00 more in gold to help in the expenses. This came with great acceptance as money was not so very plentiful in starting the mission here.
The following spring, this brother came to Bloomfield, where I was holding meetings, and remained ten days. Told me he was going to Australia and Africa for his health. He admitted the whole truth, and, besides the books he had, he wanted to take with him “the very pair of charts” on which we had lectured thus far in our mission in this State. Of course we let him have them. We went into the Bloomfield hills, where we spent several hours together in prayer and conversation. He there promised that when he came to his journey’s end he would keep the Sabbath.
Three years passed away and we had no tidings from him, and feared he was dead. In January, 1875, I received a letter in which he made earnest inquiries about our people and work, saying that he had had no news from the United States in three years. I responded to his letter, and wished to know what he was doing. The letter received the first of August, states that he has strictly kept the Sabbath ever since he arrived in Africa, now nearly four years; that he is loaning his books, and “has loaned them until some of them are nearly worn out; and that some persons admit the truth, but as yet none have taken their stand to obey it with him.” Pray for him, brethren and sisters, and for those convinced of truth in that distant field.
If the truth can thus find its way to hearts, shall we not be stimulated to more earnest efforts in scattering the light, especially in distributing copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES wherever we go?
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Every-day Duties.

By M. E. Kelsey

The greater portion of mankind are obliged to labor to obtain a livelihood. But few are there who take delight in pursuing such labor. And why is this? It was the original design of God that man should find happiness and pleasure in life. When he placed our first parents in the garden of Eden he knew that they were so organized that some kind of employment would greatly add to their happiness, therefore he gave them the care of the garden, "to dress it and to keep it," that their enjoyment might be complete.
But with too many at the present day life seems a burden. They are discontented and continually murmuring at their lot. They would like to do a great amount of good to their fellow-men, but they have no opportunity.
If they could only devote their time to visiting from house to house, and conversing with different ones on religious subjects, then they flatter themselves that they could do much good. Why, say they, if I was only in the position of this brother or that sister, then I would devote the whole of my time and attention to this work. But this they are not able to do, and so they settle down in discouragement at home, wondering why it is that fortune has not favored them so highly as others.
Such forget that in order to be a worker in the vineyard of the Lord, it is not necessary for one to devote his entire time, nor yet to become a minister to carry the truth to foreign lands. No; if all were preachers where would be the hearers, if all teachers, where the learners?
It is home missionaries that are most needed. Those who will by every word and action of their lives preach to those around them. It frequently happens that a word fitly spoken will do more good than a most eloquent sermon from the pulpit.
We little know what is in the heart of a brother or friend with whom we meet, perhaps daily. He may be in deep trial and discouragement, or harrassed with doubts and fears, he may be on the very brink of despair, and just ready to give up the Christian warfare. At such a time as this, a word spoken from a heart glowing with love to God and man may be the means of causing that soul to decide between life and death. How important, then, that our words be few and well chosen, such as the Lord can approbate.
All find it necessary to be more or less connected with non-professors. And we often meet with those who are entire strangers to us as a people, and to the doctrines we advocate. They learn a little of our belief, their curiosity is aroused and they begin to make inquiries. But it may not be convenient nor yet advisable to give at that time all the different points of our faith without giving the reasons why we thus believe. But how appropriate after passing a few words to hand out a paper or tract (with which we should always be supplied) requesting them to read and consider it at their leisure.
In many cases they will read it carefully and lend to their neighbors, who in turn will read and become interested, and thus a general interest is awakened, which finally results in many embracing the truth. Thus we see we need not go away from home to be missionaries. In the family circle, while performing our daily duties, in business relations, or wherever we are, we can exert an influence for Christ that will bring many souls to a knowledge of the truth and cause them to shine as stars in the kingdom of Heaven forever and ever.
M. E. KELSEY.

Health Department.

By Ellen G. White

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2.

Moral and Physical Law.

Had men ever been obedient to the law of ten commandments, carrying out in their lives the principles of these ten precepts, the curse of disease now flooding the world would not be. Men and women cannot violate natural law in the indulgence of depraved appetite, and lustful passions, and not violate the law of God. Therefore, God has permitted the light of health reform to shine upon us, that we may see our sin in violating the laws God has established in our being. All our enjoyments or sufferings may be traced to obedience or transgression of natural law. Our gracious Heavenly Father sees the deplorable condition of men while living in violation of the laws he has established. Many are doing this ignorantly, some knowingly. The Lord, in love and pity to the race, causes the light to shine upon health reform. He publishes his law, and the penalty that will follow the transgression of it, that all may learn, and be careful to live in harmony with natural law. He proclaims his law so distinctly, and makes it so prominent, that it is like a city set on a hill. All accountable beings can understand his law, if they will. Idiots will not be responsible.
Adam and Eve fell through intemperate appetite. Christ came, and withstood the fiercest temptation of Satan, and, in behalf of the race, he overcame appetite, showing that man may overcome. As Adam fell through appetite, and lost blissful Eden, the children of Adam may, through Christ, overcome appetite, and, through temperance in all things, regain Eden.
Ignorance now is no excuse for the transgression of law. The light shineth clearly, and none need to be ignorant; for the great God himself is man's instructor. All are bound by the most sacred obligations to God, to heed sound philosophy and genuine experience in reference to health reform, which he is now giving them.
God designs that the great subject of health reform shall be agitated, and the public mind deeply stirred to investigate; for it is impossible for men and women, with all their sinful, health-destroying, brain-enervating habits, to discern sacred truth, through which they are to be sanctified, refined, elevated, and made fit for the society of heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory.
The inhabitants of the Noachian world were destroyed, because they were corrupted through the indulgence of perverted appetite. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed through the gratification of unnatural appetite, which benumbed the intellect, and they could not discern the difference between the sacred claims of God and the clamor of appetite. The latter enslaved them, and they became so ferocious and bold in their detestable abominations that God would not tolerate them upon the earth. God ascribes the wickedness of Babylon to her gluttony and drunkenness.
The apostle exhorts the church: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Man, then, can make the body unholy by sinful indulgences. If unholy, they are unfited to be spiritual worshipers, and are not worthy of Heaven. If man will cherish the light God in mercy gives him upon health reform, he may be sanctified through the truth, and fitted for immortality. If he disregards light, and lives in violation of natural law, he must pay the penalty.
God created man perfect and holy. Man fell from his holy estate, because he transgressed God’s law. Since the fall, there has been a rapid increase of disease, suffering, and death. Notwithstanding man has insulted his Creator, yet God’s love is still extended to the race. And he permits light to shine, that man may see that, in order to live a perfect life, he must live in harmony with those natural laws which govern his being. Therefore, it is of the greatest importance that he have a knowledge of how to live, that his powers of body and mind may be exercised to the glory of God.
It is impossible for man to present his body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, while he is indulging in habits that are lessening physical, mental, and moral vigor, because it is customary for the world to do thus. The apostle adds: “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Jesus seated upon the Mount of Olives, gave instruction to his disciples of the signs that should precede his coming. He says, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
The same sin exists in our day of carrying eating and drinking to gluttony and drunkenness, which brought the wrath of God upon the world in the days of Noah. This prevailing sin, of indulgence of perverted appetite, inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to general corruption, until their violence and crime reached to Heaven and God washed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood.
The same sin of gluttony and drunkenness benumbed the moral sensibilities of the inhabitants of Sodom, so that crimes seemed to men and women of that wicked city to be their delight. Christ warns the world. He says, “Likewise, also, as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”
Christ has left us here a most important lesson. He does not in his teaching encourage indolence. His example was the opposite of this. Christ was an earnest worker. His life was one of self-denial, diligence, perseverance, industry, and economy. He would lay before us the danger of making eating and drinking paramount. He reveals the result of giving up to the indulgence of appetite. The moral powers are enfeebled, so that sin does not appear sinful. Crimes are winked at, and base passions control the minds, until general corruption roots out good principles and impulses, and God is blasphemed. All this is the result of eating and drinking to excess. This is the very condition of things he declares will exist at his second coming.
Will men and women be warned? Will they cherish the light? or, will they become slaves to appetite and passion? Christ presents to us something higher to toil for than merely what we shall eat, and what we shall drink, and wherewithall we shall be clothed. Eating, and drinking, and dressing, are carried to such excess that they become crimes, and are one of the marked sins of the last days, and constitute a sign of Christ’s soon coming. Time, money, and strength, which are the Lord’s, that he has intrusted to us, are wasted in needless superfluities of dress, and luxuries for the perverted appetite, which lessen vitality, and bring suffering and decay. It is impossible to present to God our bodies a living sacrifice, when they are diseased by sinful indulgence.
Knowledge in regard to how we shall eat, and drink, and dress, in reference to health, must be gained. Sickness is caused by violating the laws of health. Therefore, sickness is the result of nature’s violated law. The first duty we owe to God, to ourselves, and to our fellows, is to obey the laws of God, which include the laws of health. If we are sick, we impose a weary tax upon our friends, and unfit ourselves for discharging our duties to our families and to our neighbors. And when premature death is the result of our violation of nature’s law, we bring sorrow and suffering to others. We deprive our neighbors of the help we ought to render them in living. Our families are robbed of the comfort and help we might render them, and God is robbed of the service he claims of us to advance his glory. Then, are we not transgressors of God’s law in the worst sense?
God, all-pitiful, gracious, and tender, accepts the poor offering rendered to him from those who have injured their health by sinful indulgences; and, when light has come and convinced them of sin, and they have repented and sought pardon, God receives them. Oh! what tender mercy that he does not refuse the remnant of the abused life of the suffering, repenting sinner. In his gracious mercy, he saves these souls as by fire. But what an inferior, pitiful sacrifice, at best, to offer to a pure and holy God. Noble faculties have been paralyzed by wrong habits of sinful indulgence. The aspirations are perverted, and the soul and body defaced.
E. G. WHITE.

Nothing Is Lost.

Nothing is lost ; the drop of dew Which trembles on the leaf or flower, Is but exhaled to fall anew In summer's thunder shower ; Perchance to shine within the bow That fronts the sun at fall of day, Perchance to sparkle in the flow Of fountains far away.
Nothing is lost ; the tiniest seed By wild birds borne, or breezes blown, Finds something suited to its need Wherein 'tis sown and grown. The language of some household song, The perfume of some cherished flower, Though gone from outward sense, belong To memory's after hour.
So with our words ; or harsh or kind, Uttered, they are not all forgot; They leave their influence on the mind, Pass on, but perish not. So with our deeds, for good or ill, They have their power scarce understood; Then let us use our better will To make them rife with good.
—Sel.

A Letter.

By S. B. Bresee

DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—It has been a long time since I have had the privilege of meeting with you, or of hearing the truth preached in its purity, and simplicity. We meet together from Sabbath to Sabbath, and, although few in numbers, we are encouraged to press towards the mark, because our Saviour has promised that he will be with us. It is cheering to the lonely ones, to think that another opportunity is about to be given us at the coming camp-meeting, when we can all unite in thanking and praising God, not only for this precious privilege, but for the true light of his word. Do we rightly prize this privilege? Do we realize the benefits to be derived from it? If so, you will all say with me, with the blessing of the Lord, I'll be there. Let us lay the world aside, with every weight and care; and consecrate ourselves anew to God, and go up to the yearly feast, fully expecting to meet our Lord, and he will not disappoint us. He will be there.
S. B. BRESEE.
Watsonville, Cal.

Christian Practice.

By Banner of Holiness

ALL the ordinances, ceremonies, and professions in this world will be utterly empty without a holy life. Nearly all the precepts of the Bible aim at the production of practical righteousness. We must be actuated by right motives, and breathe the right spirit. Our conversation is to be seasoned with grace. We are to trample pride and self-conceit under our feet, and to lead a life of humility and prayer. No animosities or relations are to be indulged, but rather the spirit of forgiveness and good will to all. Whether we eat or drink or dress, we are to do all to the glory of God. This excludes all intemperance, vanity, trickery, malice, and slander. Surely the way of salvation is a narrow way. To walk in it, is to obey the Lord in all things. To walk in it, is to enjoy that divine fellowship which eclipses the glitter of the earth. To continue this obedient walk, is to secure a fadeless crown in the coming kingdom.—Banner of Holiness.

Religious Miscellany.

By Editor

  • The late Emperor Ferdinand of Austria has left by his will to the pope $6,000,000, which has been already paid.
  • The Baptists have been holding a grand out-door meeting at Martha's Vineyard. But they are rather shy about calling it a camp-meeting.
  • The Pittsburg Commercial says, the clergymen of Towanda have struck—that is, they have combined to have but one service on Sunday for the next six months.
  • A young Norwegian, who was converted at one of the earlier meetings held by Messrs. Moody and Sankey in England, has returned to Norway and started a Sunday-school, the first ever opened in the northern part of that country.
  • The National Sunday-school Assembly at Fair Point, Chautauqua County, N. Y., has been well attended the past week. Last Sunday 3,000 people attended the model Sunday-school exercises. Mr. J. E. Searle Jr. was superintendent, and was assisted by forty teachers.
  • One of the disadvantages of dying and being in two places at the same time is shown in the case of the late Judge Edmunds. Mrs. Tappan, in London, and Mrs. Conant, in Boston, simultaneously delivered addresses by the deceased Judge, which were so utterly conflicting in substance that the ardent believer is compelled to admit that somebody lies. That somebody is the inevitable evil spirit.
  • The report that the Roman Catholic authorities of Prussia have signified their readiness to obey the new law in relation to the administration of church property is confirmed. The law commits the management of the church property in each parish to a council elected by the parishioners. It will go into operation next autumn. The Cathedral Chapter of Fulda have signified their submission, as also has the Bishop of Breslau.
  • A missionary writing from Nellore, India, says:—"The population we reach by our various agencies is about six and a half millions. As to the progress already made, in our mission alone we have over 4,000 communicants, and about 20,000 nominal Christians. We have 45 native preachers, as many more teachers, 10 colporteurs, 4 stations and missionaries, and 40 or 50 out stations, and at one of our stations a theological seminary for training preachers with 50 students."
  • Mr. Gladstone has published another pamphlet, in which he discusses another new question relative to the papacy, which formed the subject of his pamphlet on Vaticanism. The present publication takes the same grounds against the papacy and predicts trouble in the future, both in Great Britain and on the Continent from that source. The pamphlet declares that the papacy will seize the first opportunity through bloodshed to maintain its rule, and will, if necessary, even plunge the world into war. The new document of the ex-premier is much discussed and is calculated to revive the religious conflict raised by his first effort on this subject.
  • The Rocky Mountain Methodist Conference closed August 16, with the reading and adoption of a report on the condition of Utah affairs.
The report denounces in severe terms the Mormon theocracy; declares it hostile to the American Government and its institutions; gives extracts from sermons delivered in the Mormon Tabernacle during 1856 and 1857 by Brigham Young counseling murder and blood atonement; holds that Brigham Young is responsible for the Mountain Meadow massacre and many other murders committed in Utah since its settlement by the Mormons; demands free schools, a free ballot, and an amended jury law; calls upon the press and churches of the country to keep this matter before the people till they shall speak with a voice that politicians and legislators will heed.
  • The third Sunday in May witnessed a grand meeting of Catholics, in Cincinnati. From 10,000 to 15,000 from other towns were welcomed by speeches from the Mayor, and the sheriff of Hamilton county. In the afternoon a procession was formed, ten thousand persons marching in line through the principal streets, accompanied by thirty brass bands and followed by Archbishop Purcell and other bishops in carriages. Thus we see that Sunday is regarded by them as it was when it first began to usurp the place of God's holy Sabbath, as a holiday, a day for festivals, processions, and pleasure.
  • The proposed new Spanish Constitution provides that nobody shall be molested on Spanish territory for religious opinions, or in the exercise of their respective worships so long as the respect due to Christian morality is paid. Nevertheless, other public ceremonies or demonstrations than those of the State religion are prohibited. The amount of this is that the Spanish government will go as far in proscribing the Protestant churches as it dares to go. Any attempt to imprison or execute Protestants on account of their religious belief and worship would bring Bismarck's guns to bear upon them. They, therefore, consent to permit them to worship in private.
  • The apostate condition of the Jews is thus set forth by the Jewish Messenger:—
"Nor is it as regards public worship neglected that our admonition is directed. Surveying the condition of many Jewish dwellings, what is there within those mansions, in which our good Father has given us the power to dwell, to denote our gratitude? Nothing Jewish is found; no distinction between what is permitted or prohibited; nothing garnered for future happiness, but all for the short-lived present; no morning nor evening prayer, no example for children—nothing but a shell from which the kernel of Judaism has been lost."
  • The Romanists complain bitterly that the Catholics are taxed for the support of schools that they cannot control, and speak boldly of the time when, by their control of political parties, they shall collect the taxes, control the schools, and compel the Protestants to support the Romanist schools, as well as their own. Said the Rt. Rev. Dr. McQuaid, in an address not long since: "I stand here and say that unless we bring this thing of the school taxes to the ballot box, we do not deserve the name of Catholics. It may not be necessary to bring it to the ballot box; we may, by making a demand, effect a compromise; we may obtain a platform on which we can stand. Politicians will come to us."
  • The Jews now, as in the days of Christ, are still resisting their claim to God's favor upon the piety of their ancient forefathers. "We be the children of Abraham." Thus the Jewish Messenger says:—
"We were the chosen of God, and we remain the chosen of God; for the Eternal Omniscient God changes not! He, who could see into the Future selected us from all the nations as His Ministers; His Prophets; as the Conservators of His Word; the promulgators of Divine Truth.—The Almighty vouchsafed to reveal Himself to us. He gave to us His laws for the good of the World. They are eternal; without them society could not exist."
"Remember that ours is not a religion of yesterday. Forget not that it was the religion of Isaac, and Jacob; Moses, Elijah, and David! True, God changes not, but men do; and hence it is no evidence that we are holy simply because our fathers were."
Continue reading: Standing Firm in God’s Place