THE Sabbath and the Sunday. Part 1, Argument. Part 2, History. By Rev. A. H. Lewis, A. M. American Sabbath Tract Society. Alfred Centre, N. Y. A. H. Lewis, general Agent, 1870.
Such is the title page of a new work in behalf of Sabbath observance. It is the long-promised Sabbath history of our esteemed brother A. H. Lewis. We gladly welcome the appearance of this volume, and we are sure that it will be welcomed by the friends of the Sabbath generally, as a valuable contribution to the cause of Bible truth. The author has given us an able and concise Biblical argument in support of the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord. Although much of this portion of the work is but the restatement of well-known truths, yet the reader will find some new ideas in this familiar subject, and will be interested in the form which the author has given to the argument. On a single point, the time of Christ's resurrection, we differ with the author. But we are sure that the work will be found one of interest to all who are disposed to study the claims of the moral law, and particularly those of the fourth commandment.
But the historical portion of the work will be of the greatest interest to the general reader. Indeed, it is this which constitutes the distinctive feature of the work. The Sabbath of the Lord does not rest upon the testimony of secular history. Its foundation is laid deep in the moral law, and can never be shaken. But as its Sunday rival attempts to establish itself by an appeal to history, for it has no foundation in God's law, it is eminently proper that those who do and teach the commandments, should accept this appeal, and in doing it should show how that the great apostasy, which so far as the time of its origin is concerned, may well style itself apostolic (2 Thess. 2), has supplanted the day of the Creator's rest, by the first-day festival. For this reason we can never be otherwise than deeply interested in that record which shows how that work was accomplished.
The author adduces important testimonies respecting the Sabbath in the primitive church, and among the witnesses to the truth during the dark ages. He also presents valuable information respecting those who have observed the day since the reformation of the sixteenth century.
The volume presents much acceptable information respecting the S. D. Baptists. And the author has very generously devoted some twenty-two pages of his work to the history and doctrinal peculiarities of the S. D. Adventists. In this part of the work are some facts relative to the introduction of the Sabbath among us which are not generally known even by our own people.
The book is printed upon good paper, and in a very clear type, and is well bound. Price $1.25; Postage 12 cts. We commend the volume to the patronage of our people. And we trust that many will be interested to extend the circulation of this work. Address, A. H. Lewis, Alfred Center, N. Y.
J. N. ANDREWS.
A New Interpretation.
By G. W. A.
SAYS Dr. Cumming, the renowned English Adventist, in "The Last Warning Cry," while speaking of Dan. 12:4, "This is literally the age of going to and fro. It is eminently the age of locomotion. The words of Daniel, ‘Knowledge shall be increased,’ are susceptible of two versions. Here are two Hebrew words almost identical in spelling. The translation of one, and the one, I admit, accepted by the greatest number of writers, is, ‘And knowledge shall be increased;’ but the translation given by others, and of which the Hebrew word is susceptible, is, ‘And knowledge shall be flashed along.’ If this last be a just reading, it must remind us of the mysterious, whispering wire, at one end of which you express your wish, your hope, your message, and in less than an hour it is echoed in the most distant capital of Europe.” Pp. 324, 325.
If the above criticism be a correct one, and certainly it comes from a scholarly pen, it sheds light on a very important passage. G. W. A.
Imitation.
By Sel.
INQUISITIVE CHILD.—“Wonder what makes papa tell such nice stories,” said a youngster, “about hiding the school-master’s rattan when he went to school, and about his running away from the school-mistress when she was about to whip him, and then shut me up in a dark room because I tried just once to be as smart as he was?”—Sel.
Love Is Like a River
Love is like a river; if the current is obstructed, it will seek another channel.
The European Outlook
By Editor
We call the attention of the reader to the interesting article in another column, on The European Outlook, from Scribner’s Monthly. This magazine is conducted by J. G. Holland, and is one of the ablest of the first-class monthlies. Scribner & Co., New York. $3.00 per year.
News and Miscellany.
“Can ye not discern the signs of the times?”
Terrible Suffering.—A correspondent of the Boston Journal states that the people of Alsace and Lorraine are starving to death by hundreds. He has been among them, and has been a witness of their sufferings. He says that as many as 25,000 families would gladly go away, and that it would be a holy, noble work to rescue them from the terrible sufferings which surround them. It is proposed at once to set on foot schemes for providing for their immigration to this country.
Egypt Preparing.—The Khedive of Egypt is said to be preparing for war, and to have preparations now complete for sending into the field an army of 100,000 men. The full weight of Egypt’s influence on European matters has not been felt heretofore; but upon the opening of a general war in which Turkey should participate, Egypt, under her Khedive, would assume a prominent position as an independent power. Restrained and hampered by the overbearing influence of Turkey, the ambitious viceroy has long ached for an opportunity to assert the power which he feels he ought to hold in Europe. Undoubtedly, he would prove the strongest ally that Russia would have.
The Jesuits have been expelled from Marseilles, and their newspaper suspended. In Rome the control of education has been taken from the Jesuits. This is more than can be said of New York city, for there the Jesuits use Protestant money to carry on Roman Catholic schools.
TheTribune declares that more of the policemen of New York are drunk when on duty, than ever before, and that these are recent appointments, and adds: “We continue to be exposed to the shame and peril of having our streets guarded by reeling patrolmen, armed with clubs and pistols.” So will our cities be everywhere “exposed.” It is a part of the state of things to-day. With the government of the nation, State and city supporting drunkenness as an institution, with many of its chief officials drunken, there is no reason to expect that its lowest officials will be sober. Like priest like people. Like the highest rulers the lower. “All are but parts of one stupendous whole.”
An English paper says that after concluding a lecture, Mr. Bradlaugh called upon any present to reply to his arguments. A collier arose, and spoke somewhat as follows: “Maister Bradlaugh, me and my mate Jim were both Methodys till one of these infidel chaps cam’ this way. Jim turned infidel, and used to badger me about attending prayer-meetings; but one day, in the pit, a large cob of coal came down upon Jim’s ‘ead. Jim thought he was killed, and, ah, mon! but he did holler and cry to God.” Then turning to Mr. Bradlaugh, with a knowing look, he said, “Young man, there is now’t like cobs of coal for knocking infidelity out of a man.” It need scarcely be said that the collier carried the audience with him.
The United States Public Domain.
The total disposal of public lands for the year ending June, 1868, was 6,655,742 acres, bringing in $1,632,745. The appropriations covered 941,641 acres sold, 512,533 located by military warrants; 2,328,928 taken under homestead entries; 259,197 given to States as swamp; 697,257 vested under railroad grants, and 1,942,889 under college scrip. The public domain comprises 1,834,998,400 acres, of which 1,405,366,678 remain to be disposed of. The commerce of the Pacific is increasing our Asiatic exchanges, and as transit may be made from New York to San Francisco by rail in seventy-two hours, and as our mineral wealth is of prime value to this end, it is believed that we shall soon command the major trade of Asia and have the clearing houses of the world. As specie has been drained to the east for centuries, we shall drain it back again as soon as we create trade. England and Russia are quarrelling for Asiatic supremacy, but our country, asking only commercial favors, has an advantage over both. In order to show what the Pacific commerce has for its supply and aids, a statement is made that we have 40,000 miles of railway, costing $2,000,000,000, annual earnings of $750,000,000, and a domestic trade of $6,000,000,000, annually.
Bombardment of Paris.
The German batteries are evidently approaching nearer and nearer the doomed city of Paris. Their shells already fall in the gardens of the Luxembourg, which are not far from the heart of the city. The missiles are said to have fallen even in the Place de la Concorde, immediately in front of the garden of the Tuileries. They have reached the Hotel des Invalides, according to the acknowledgments of the Parisians themselves. A few days of such firing will make sad havoc with the vast material beauty piled up in the classic center of the city.—Det. Post.