Earlier text: THE HEADSHIP OF THE CHURCHNATIONAL DEBTS OF THE WORLD.
The Handels Zeitung, New York, has compiled some interesting statistics on the subject of national debts, from which we quote the following:— “The total national debt of the world is now $29,000,000,000, while in 1875 it was $23,750,000,000. France has the distinction of leading the world in this regard with a debt of $6,000,000,000, followed by Great Britain with $3,300,000,000. The third on the list is Austro-Hungary with $3,030,000,000, while Russia is fourth with $2,875,000,000, and Italy fifth with $2,530,000,000. Spain comes next with $1,395,000,000, and the United States is seventh with $996,141,952. Germany has a debt of only $420,000,000. “Spain owes comparatively the largest sum to foreigners, while in France the great bulk of the papers are in possession of the Frenchmen themselves. But nearly every other nation is indebted for enormous amounts to its own subjects. France takes the lead as a lending people on account of the good financial standing and the saving propensities of the people. “Rather remarkable is the increase of debt in Australasia, especially over against the repeated statement of Great Britain that its loyal colonies enjoy a higher degree of prosperity than do those that have become independent. Japan and the Argentine Republic belong to the States that have in recent years been contracting debts on a large scale, the former now having $235,000,000 and the latter $370,000,000. Borrowers on a somewhat smaller scale are Belgium with a debt of $445,000,000, Holland with $460,000,000, Canada with $255,000,000, an increase of $100,000,000 since 1875. The total debt of Great Britain, including the colonies, is $5,485,000,000, a sum almost equal to the debt of France. “One reason for the enormous increase of national debts is probably the fact that money is now much cheaper than it was twenty years ago. At present the total sum of interest to be paid on national debts is $1,115,000,000, while twenty years ago it was $1,000,000,000, altho the total debt at that time was $5,000,000,000 less than it is at present. In 1875 Spain and Mexico paid as high as 15 and 18 per cent. interest. Altho the national debt of France is so enormous, yet it pays comparatively the smallest amount of interest money, namely, $185,000,000, while Great Britain pays annually $125,000,000; Russia, $120,000,000; Italy, $117,000,000; Spain, $56,000,000; Austro-Hungary as much as $186,000,000. The latter country accordingly pays more interest than France, altho the French debt is twice as large as that of the Austrian Empire. It is interesting to note that each inhabitant of France must, on the average, pay each year $4.75 interest on the national debt: each Russian, $1.20; each Englishman, $3.15; each Austrian, $7.50; each Italian, $3.80; each Spaniard, $3.25; each American, 42 cents, and each German, 33 cents.” Spiritualist Organization and Gospel Work
A CALL has been issued by the First Christian Spiritualist Society of this city for a union of the Spiritualist forces. The circular says, “There are in Oakland some 3,000 or more Spiritualists,” and “the question of the hour is organization.” A meeting was held on the 7th inst., “to assist in perfecting plans whereby Spiritualists and all seekers for psychic knowledge may unite in a manner most conducive to the welfare of all, and the aims the angel world has in view.” This is only one of many such efforts in the world at the present time, and while this great deception is being so zealously diffused into the ranks of society, how much more should the followers of Christ be engaged in disseminating the Gospel of salvation. HOW TO CULTIVATE PATIENCE.
By John Harvey Kellogg
The food we eat, which we take into our stomach, colors, so to speak, our brains and our thoughts. I examined a patient one time. I talked with her about her tastes, examined her stomach, etc. Finally she burst into tears, and began to sob, “Doctor, do tell me what is the matter with me; am I sick or am I wicked?” She said: “I am cross. I scold my husband, I scold my children, I scold my neighbors, all the day long, and I have no occasion for it. Now, am I sick, or am I wicked?” I looked at her tongue, examined her stomach, and found a lot of decayed food there, and her breath smelled of decay, and her stomach was the hold of every unclean and hateful germ. There was abundant reason why the woman should be cross and irritable, for every nerve was just strained to the utmost tension. When anything was going to happen, there was such a tension on her nerves that she would scream out. But this poor woman I made perfectly happy by simply telling her that her case was not a case of total depravity, but a case of total indigestion; and we cured her in a week’s time by washing out her stomach, and thus she had a clean conscience. It was all done by simply getting her stomach clean. And so we ought to be able to control ourselves with God’s help. She was able to control herself. When she was violating the laws of nature, and eating unwholesome things, she might pray as much as she liked, and the Lord could not give her patience and a clean conscience, because that was not in his order. The Lord could not make her a patient woman while she was taking a sure course to make herself impatient; but by eating proper food, that would give her proper nourishment, she could have a clean brain. That is the reason why God has given us so much instruction about diet,—so that he might by and by say to us, “Here is the patience of the saints.” Now, my friends, if ever we want to get where the Lord can call attention to our patience, where he can say, These people are saints, look at their patience,—there are trials and tribulations coming,—if we ever get the patience that is necessary for that time, we will have to get it in the Lord’s way. There is no other way we can get it. That poor woman could not be patient to save her life, or to save her soul. She was troubled about it; and there are some of you troubled in that way—because you can not be patient. That is one of my troubles, too. It is hard to be patient. I am naturally a very impatient person, and it is exceedingly hard to be patient. I have to pray for that more than for anything else. Now I know that I have to live on a plain, simple diet, in order to be the least bit patient, so that any person could live with me. If I lived on the diet that some people live on, I do not believe that I would be patient at all. The Lord will always supplement what we do, but we have to do our duty. Before we can ask God to do something for us that we have not done, we have to do all we can do. If we try to put it off, try to get rid of it, this way, that way, and the other way, we find that we are losing time. We can not get goodness by simply praying for it; we have to work, as well as pray. We have to exercise faith, and we have to obey; and it is not only faith, it is obedience as well, that God exacts of us. He exacts of us willing obedience; not simply obedience, but willing obedience. So long as we do a good thing merely from a sense of duty, it will not do us any good. I believe that a man who undertakes to live out health reform from a sense of duty, will make a total failure of it. He will make a failure of it every time. He will do very much as a man in England did some years ago. Elder Loughborough met a brother, and recommended him to eat oatmeal. A year after that he met him again, and asked him how he liked oatmeal, and he said: “My wife does not seem to like it very well. I like it pretty well myself, but my wife wants to know if it would do to cook it. Do you think it would be proper to cook the oatmeal before we eat it?” The poor man had been eating raw oatmeal all the time, because he thought that was health reform, and he liked it pretty well—from a sense of duty, I suppose. So, as long as we undertake to do things from a sense of duty, we will do just some stupid thing like that, that will upset everything, and entirely negative and destroy all the good our obedience might do us. Now, if we undertake to go about this thing in a willing way, God will enlighten our minds, and he will lead us into right ways; he will help us, and direct us, bringing the right sort of knowledge to our minds, and will bring us in contact with the people who will aid us in a variety of ways to get light and truth that will help us out of our difficulties, so that we shall know just what to do, and how to do it. I think that people years ago tried to live out health reform from a sense of duty, and just as soon as they would begin to backslide a little, they would abandon it altogether. We want to be health reformers because it is a privilege, and because God has implanted this in our bodies; and he is trying to work to the best ends for us. What a privilege it is to think straight in that way; and if we do it in that way, we will get a blessing in doing it. It seems to be one of the hardest habits to break and to overcome, when once established, the habit of talking in a way that, if it is not exactly vulgar, borders on it, and is an insinuation of vulgarity. A great many people think it is not wrong to laugh at a vulgar insinuation or a sentence that may have two meanings, and very much of this goes on among both sexes, unfortunately. The consequence is that our young boys and girls grow up with loose ideas, and only a little start in this line is necessary to make great inroads on pure thoughts and pure lives even; for if one’s talk is impure, either by inference or openly, it is sure to contaminate the character and hurt the influence. We know of some excellent Christian people, otherwise, who have not yet overcome the habit of telling an occasional story that borders on vulgarity, and who would not hesitate to laugh at some one who told a story that insinuated, at least, something vulgar. We can each settle this once for all if we will put this test: “If Christ were right by my side, would I do this? and would Christ want me to encourage by my manner or in any way, vulgarity of deed, thought or even of insinuation?” There needs to be a strong stand taken by God’s people on this question, for it means so much. Only the other day we saw some young men greatly shocked (they were Christian Endeavorers) at hearing a good Christian, a little older than they were, make some allusion that had vulgarity in its meaning. It only takes a few such lessons to start young people in the wrong track entirely. Let us remember that this is one of the devil’s keenest and easiest ways of hindering the work of Christ in the hearts of his followers. But what we have said is entirely aside from a great and powerful reason why we should not indulge in anything of this kind,—because the world looks on astonished and disgusted and puts us down at once as hypocrites if we do or say or countenance such things.—Union Gospel News. John Wesley was possessed of so great a fund of common sense, and of such remarkable powers of observation, that he became as noted among the common people for his instructions in relation to health and the treatment of disease as for his theological teachings. He even wrote a medical work which, altho it contained many things of which we can not approve, was, nevertheless, in its recognition of rational and natural remedies, more than a century ahead of the times when it was written. Mr. Wesley recognized fully the value of exercise as a means of preserving health. He was always a man of active habits, and declared that he owed his vigor to the fact that when he went up to London to school, his father charged him, in his parting instructions, that he should run three times around Charter House Square every morning before breakfast. This practice he adhered to during his school life, and thus was kept in excellent health. A man recently measured the distance around Charter House Square, and reports it to us to11be 445 yards, or a little more than one-fourth of a mile. Three times around the square would be three-fourths of a mile. To take this exercise would have required from ten to fifteen minutes, according to the rate of speed. If Mr. Wesley ran at a brisk trot he would have so increased his respiration and the action of his heart as to have brought a large amount of air into his lungs and circulated his blood thoroughly to every part of his body. Mr. Wesley’s father must have been a man far advanced in his knowledge of the benefits of exercise for students, or he would not have given his son this wise command.—Journal of Hygiene. LOVE'S RECORD.
By Belle W. Cooke
Those dear, dear hands that I scarce can see
As I look through blinding tears,
Day in and day out they have worked for me
For nearly fifty years! By the struggle with pain, they are seamed and marred,
And parts have been cut away
By saw and plane—they are battered and scarred,
But what do they tell to-day? For me and the children God gave us
They have toiled unselfishly,
They have guarded from dangers perilous,
And won victoriously;
No comeliness that another could see,
Not a line of beauty is there,
No form of grace—but they have for me
A charm that is more than fair. They have gathered for me the roses of life,
And stripped their thorns away,
They have given caress and kept off strife
Through many a sorrowful day;
They have raised the cup to my fevered lip
With a touch that never jarred;
They have held me up when I feared to slip
O’er ways both dark and hard. O, could we see with the new-found rays
The meanings of marks and forms,
Or read the record of weary days
On hands that have dared the storms!
One-half the cost, we may not here know
Of the sacrifices of love.
What this life has lost, heaven’s light may show
When the record appears above. The sore afflictions of Africa are the slave traffic and the rum traffic. Wherever the former is lessened the latter seems to be increased, and it is not easy to say which is the more destructive. There are three slave markets outside of Africa which make the business of the Arab slave hunters profitable in certain parts of Africa, namely, Zanzibar, Arabia and Egypt. In Egypt they are in demand as household slaves. Slaves are smuggled into Zanzibar, notwithstanding the prohibition. It is estimated that 6,000 slaves are taken from the mainland to the island every year. About 11,000 more go to Arabia. The slave catchers destroy, it is said, about three lives for every slave they succeed in transporting, so that the annual loss of life from this cause is enormous. Many of the porters who go with caravans are slaves who are required to give their owners half of what they receive. The mortality among these porters is, from various causes, very great, amounting, it is estimated, to about thirty per cent. on long trips. A great blow to the traffic was dealt in the British Central African Protectorate by the military expedition sent against the Arabs in the Lake Region in 1895. Where slave centers formerly existed, British forts are now found, and the great Zambesi slave route is closed. Unspeakably horrible are the accounts which constantly come from the east coast of the cruelties practised by slave owners.—N. Y. Independent. WE have several times called attention to the sufferings of the victims of Armenian atrocities. The latest report we have from the National Armenian Relief Committee contains the following paragraph:— In Arabkir there are 1,700 orphans, while the whole number dependent upon charity this winter is over 3,000. In Malatia there are from 2,000 to 2,500 widows and orphans. In the whole Harpoot field, 43,500 souls will be dependent upon charity this winter. It is difficult to secure accurate statistics of the number of widows and orphans in the villages, but there can not be less than 15,000 widows and fatherless children in this field; there are probably more than 20,000. Donations for this charity may be sent to Brown Bros. & Co., Bankers, 59 Wall Street, New York. The sufferers in Armenia no doubt are in great want, but they have been the objects of attention by the civilized world for some time, and, while we would not wish to detract aught from the disposition to help them, we would inform our readers that there is another field of devastation and famine that has received very little notice from the outside world. We refer to Matabeleland, Africa. There was first an uprising of the natives, and a devastating war; then there was rinderpest among the cattle, and now famine is abroad in the land. The following statements of a missionary who but last year began to open up a mission farm some fifty miles from Buluwayo, tells a harrowing tale; yet this is in but one locality of a very extensive range of country similarly afflicted:— When I last wrote, I could chronicle the fact that many who were mere skeletons had been seen, and that deaths were reported from adjoining neighborhoods. Now we can say they are no longer at a distance, but have become a reality at our door. The dead from hunger are all around us, and human skeletons are walking about on every side, begging for a morsel to eat; but even this has often to be denied them. The road to Buluwayo has been for a few weeks dotted here and there with the bodies of those who have gone as far as they could in search of food, but strength failing, they perished by the way. In many instances these bodies are left to rot or be eaten by dogs or other animals. Children especially are great sufferers. Hundreds of little ones, mere skeletons, are among us, and their appeals for food are piteous and hard to deny, yet sometimes we are forced to do so, because we have it not. This is much more trying to our workers than their work. The condition of the people may be illustrated by one incident. Last Thursday, as Brother and Sister Anderson were in the school with the children, one of our boys called attention to the fact that a boy was attempting to steal a chicken. Brother Anderson went in pursuit of the boy, a lad of about fifteen, and soon overtook him. As soon as he saw he was caught, he urged Brother Anderson to follow him to a kopje, a short distance from the house. This he did, and soon heard the cry of a child. The boy hurried him on, and he soon discovered a little boy about two and a half years old, buried alive in a hole dug by ant-bears. The little fellow was thrust into a hole, and a little small brush thrown on top, and over all a thin layer of dirt. Air, however, had penetrated, and the child was still alive. Brother Anderson hastily took him out, and brought him to the house. The little fellow’s head, face, ears, mouth, and other parts of his body were eaten by maggots that were rapidly multiplying upon him. He was cleaned, and at this writing gives good evidence of recovery. He now lisps a few words, the principal ones being “mama,” and isitjeze, the last meaning “porridge.” Two other children were found at the same place, but they were already dead. The boy who revealed the place of their burial said the children’s mothers placed them there. This awful deed shows the extremity that the people have reached. Rather than see their children drag out a lingering death by starvation, they thought thus to put an end to all. To-day another little girl was found who had evidently been left for dead. She seems unconscious, and we do not know the particulars of the case. She is much worse off than the boy who was buried alive. Yesterday a native told my wife that many are disposing of their children by thrusting them into holes, and covering them with whatever is at hand; then placing their fingers in their ears to drown their cries, they run from the place as fast as they can go. O, that we could take all these helpless ones, and feed them, and teach them of Jesus and a life beyond! We have taken thirty of these needy ones to feed and clothe and teach, and have appealed to the government in behalf of the many we are unable to help. We hope attention will be given to this appeal. Persons who desire to help these suffering people may send relief donations to this office, or to W. H. Edwards, Treasurer Foreign Mission Board, care of Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich. RELIGION IN JAPAN.
By Nobuta Kishimoto
The prevailing attitude of the educated classes in Japan toward any system of religion is one of indifference, if not strong antagonism. Among them the agnosticism of Spencer, the materialism of Comte, and the pessimism of Schopenhauer and Hartman are most influential. To them God is either the product of our own imagination, or, at most, is unknowable; religion is nothing but superstition; the universe is a chance work and has no end or meaning; men are nothing but lower animals in disguise. Atheism, pessimism, and agnosticism are common enemies of all religions. The people of Japan can not be satisfied with these no-God and no-religion doctrines. Shintoism, the oldest religion of Japan, represents three things in one—totem worship, nature worship, and ancestor worship. It is an ethnological religion, and as such has no originator, no system of creeds, and no code of morals. It teaches that men are the descendants of the gods; that is, the divinity of humanity. Again, it teaches that, as the universe came from the gods, it is full of the divine essence; that is, the doctrine of the divine immanence. Confucianism is the next oldest system in Japan. It came from China. In its native country it developed into a great system; but in Japan the case is different. Here it has never developed into a religious system. It was simply accepted as a system of social and family morals. It had and still has a stronghold among the higher and well-educated classes. Buddhism is the third religion in Japan. It came from India through China and Korea, and now is the most popular religion in Japan. There are ten different sects which go by the name of Buddhism, but which are quite different from each other. Some are atheistic, and others are almost theistic. Some are strict, and others are liberal. Some are scholarly, and others are popular. Some are pessimistic in their principles, and teach annihilation to be the ultimate end of human existence. Others are optimistic, and teach a happy life in a future existence, if not in the present world. But all unite at least in one thing, namely, the law of cause and effect. “One reaps what he sows” is the universal teaching of Japanese Buddhism, although the application of the law may be different in different sects. One and the same Japanese may be a Shintoist, a Confucianist, and a Buddhist. Their religion may be likened to a triangle, one angle being Shintoism, another Confucianism, the third Buddhism. Shintoism furnishes the12object of objects, Confucianism offers the rules of life, while Buddhism supplies the way of salvation. Christianity is the last and newest religion in Japan. It is in three forms. The Roman Catholic is the strongest in membership, then comes the Protestant, and finally the Greek Catholic. There is no doubt that Christianity will become the religion of Japan. We Japanese want the Christianity of the Christ. We want the spirit of the Bible. We Japanese Christians wish to show a Christianity which knows no sectarian controversy, and no heresy hunting, but which worships God in spirit and in truth. —Nobuta Kishimoto, of Japan, at the Parliament of Religions. THAT a kind word put out at interest brings back an enormous percentage of love and appreciation? That tho a loving thought may not seem to be appreciated, it made you better and braver because of it? That the little acts of kindness and thoughtfulness day by day, are really better than one immense act of goodness shown once a year? That to be always polite to the people at home is not only more ladylike, but more refined, than having company manners? That to judge anybody by his personal appearance stamps you as not only ignorant, but vulgar? That to talk and talk and talk about yourself and your belongings is very tiresome to those who listen? That to be witty(?) at the expense of somebody else is positive cruelty many times? That personalities are not always interesting, and very often offensive? That the ability to keep a friend is very much greater than that required to gain one? That if the girls all over the world were to form societies of one, each being her own president, and house committee, and entertaining committee, and secretary and treasurer, and make kind words the currency, considerate actions the social functions, and love the great aim, the whole world would be sweeter and purer for it? Just form one society where you are, and see what a great success it will be.—Ladies’ Home Journal. A BANK official, speaking of the defalcation of one of the clerks, recently made this suggestive remark: “Had I known he had not a happy home, I would not have kept him in so responsible a position.” There is involved in the remark a truth of widest application. The home is the basis of all life. A happy home is essential to safety and success in every department of life. Occasionally a man or woman is strong enough to endure discord at home without flinching at any point of duty. But the majority are not so; they become discouraged, lose heart, and at last break down. Many of the sudden and surprising lapses are to be traced to this cause. —Selected. Gideon’s Army and the Righteous
By John G. Woolley
Gideon’s army did not shrink, it grew from 30,000 filibusters—“but,” to 300 dead straight invincibles, and victory. Ninety-nine per cent. off for cash was a stiff rate of discount, but Gideon paid it and could afford to. Straight-grained stuff comes high, but we have to have it; no “mixed multitude” will win this fight. “The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” Amen.—John G. Woolley. Loyalty and Treason
By Woolley
TO BE a “traitor,” is after all, simply to be one who “treats” with the enemy for gain. The term has as many hues of meaning as a pigeon’s breast has of color, while truth is colorless, and the instant an act ceases to be obedience it begins to be treason. Loyalty is legality; the two words are one in the original Latin. Christianity is legality, and more—never less. This has been lost sight of mostly. —Woolley. “REDEEMING THE TIME.”
By G. Morrison
WASTE not the precious hours in idle dreams,
Vain disputations, and perplexing themes;
This life's the seed-time of eternity,
And as thy sowing shall thy reaping be;
Be earnest then, O man, while time is given,
To sow for righteousness, for God, and heaven!
—G. Morrison. OUR WORK AND WORKERS.
By M. C. W.
Since our last writing but little practical work has been done in the Conference. Committees are at work faithfully, and Bible study is carried on as usual. There have been special meetings of seeking the Lord, and blessing has been experienced as always at meetings where God is truly sought. Among the interesting preliminary meetings which we have had, are those of the report of the religious liberty work, the report of the foreign mission secretary, and the educational work. These three we will mention in these notes. Religious Liberty.—Brief reports were given of the religious liberty work, by Allen Moon, the president; and A. F. Ballenger, secretary. The object of the International Religious Liberty Association was stated, that of disseminating the truth as respecting this question, and of caring for families who have been deprived of their liberty by persecution. It was stated that seventy-six Christian Sabbath-keepers had been arrested during the last two years, thirty of whom had been convicted and had served terms of imprisonment aggregating in all 1,144 days. This does not take into account the period of incarceration awaiting bonds or trial. This probably would aggregate 100 days more. In his work in Washington he found that there had been a notable increase in sentiment in favor of religious liberty on the part of many who had become intelligent in reference to the subject, and yet on the other hand there were those who were honestly and sincerely yet blindly working for that which would deprive conscientious citizens of their liberty. Fuller reports may be given of this at another time. Membership fees and donations were given by those present to the amount of nearly $100. Foreign Missions.—Among the interesting things presented, was the report of the foreign mission secretary. He gave but a brief survey of our older mission fields in Europe, leaving the details of the work there to be presented by the representatives from those fields. The report showed, however, that the number of Sabbath-keepers in Europe are as follows: Central European Conference, 501; Germany, 886, having an increase during the last two years of 518; Russia, 684, an increase of 217 over 1895. The membership of Scandinavia is 1,662; and that of England, 447. In these last two fields there has been an increase of 300. In the Australasian Conference there are 1,571 members. The amount of tithes in our foreign mission fields during the past two years, has been augmented by $9,491. In Mexico the work is carried on through medical missionary work. During the past year there have been 2,000 cases of charity treatment, and 300 cases treated of the wealthier class, who paid for treatment received. The mission school there numbers thirty-three pupils. A sanatorium building is in progress, which it will take $9,000 to finish. Strong appeals were made in behalf of the South American mission field, with its 40,000,000, among whom we have less than two dozen workers, and yet those who do labor there have met with success. Among the Carib and Arawack Indians of British Guiana, there has been a church of twenty organized, and these have built themselves a chapel. There are also in the same colony a half dozen lepers, who have accepted the Sabbath truth. These desire baptism and arrangements made so that they can celebrate the ordinances of the Lord’s house. The work is making rapid progress in both Chile and Argentina. In Chile there are now seventy believers, who have been raised up almost wholly within the last two years. In Argentina the work is carried on in English, German, Spanish, Scandinavian and French. Touching, indeed, was the report from Matabeleland and the Gold Coast. Our missionaries who are in Matabeleland, after having journeyed 600 miles by the slow process of bullock wagon, taking six weeks, passing through fever-infested districts, had hardly got settled and well to work when the Matabele war broke out. Of course they left their mud huts, which they had built, and placed themselves under the protection of the Settlement and the English troops. This was really demanded. But they found after the war was over, a worse foe than the rebellious natives. Famine broke out. On returning to their mud huts, they found that the natives had not injured them in any way, as they had those of others. In fact they found that the warlike natives had committed no depredations whatever, other than to take food or something necessary to sustain life. But food was scarce. Flour was selling for twenty-five cents a pound and corn nearly as high. The natives themselves, whom they had left on the mission farm, were famishing, and two of our missionaries had adopted twelve of the native boys, to save their lives. Others are still in need, and they appeal to our brethren and sisters in America for funds to help. It does seem as though their appeals would be abundantly met. On the Gold Coast a worse foe than savage, warlike negroes must be met, that of the deadly fever miasma, which has cut off so many lives of the white people, who have gone there for the various purposes of worldly gain and the saving of souls. And yet those who are there are of good courage and are pushing forward the work, and are erecting a building some miles from the coast, where they think it will be more healthful. Japan, China and India were also mentioned. In the first of these countries we have two missionaries, Professor Grainger and Brother Okohira. In India we have two sisters engaged in zenana work and teaching, and one minister, Elder D. A. Robinson. In China we have but one ship missionary as yet. Ten ministers are called for, for Central America, British Guiana, United States of Colombia, Argentina, Trinidad, Lesser Antilles, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Newfoundland, Matabeleland. Physicians and nurses are wanted in Central America, Colombia, Argentina, Matabeleland, Mexico, and Newfoundland. Other workers are desired for Honolulu, the Bay Islands, Mexico, Interior of Africa, India and Polynesia. All of these demands reveal to us more eloquently than words can reveal, the enlarging of our work, and the demands that are made on the missionary spirit of our people. There are many other fields in the regions beyond where are precious souls crying to us, “Come over and help us.” We are sure that there will be hearts that will respond to this Macedonian cry from every quarter, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” Educational Work.—Heretofore the educational work of the denomination has been presented by the general educational secretary, but as representatives of nearly all the schools were present, brief reports, mostly verbal, were presented by them, the educational secretary merely introducing the subject by a few preliminary, well-chosen words. The reports came in, in order of the age of the institutions, beginning with Battle Creek College. For this Prof. G. W. Caviness reported. He stated that among the workers in the various branches of the great field, 425 had received some training in Battle Creek College, among these were 130 ministers. Others had changed their names since attending school and could not be traced. The present enrollment was 500, of which 100 were in the College Home. Prof. J. H. Haughey reported for South Lancaster (Mass.) Academy, having an enrollment of 137. Prof. F. W. Howe reported for Healdsburg (Cal.) College, the enrollment of students of which is 172. For Union College, College View, Neb., Prof. E. B. Miller reported. He gave the present term enrollment at 260. Prof. E. A. Sutherland spoke for Walla Walla (Wash.) College. The present enrollment is 235. Professor Longhead spoke in behalf of Mt. Vernon (Ohio) Academy, having 100 enrollment. Dr. J. C. Ottosen, of Denmark, represented the school in that country at Frederikshavn. The school is but small, having an attendance of only 34. The Keene (Texas) Academy and Industrial School was represented by Prof. C. B. Hughes. Its enrollment is about 100. The last schools having representatives at this meeting, were the Academy at Graysville, Tenn., and the Industrial Colored School at Huntsville, Ala. Appeal was made in behalf of these by Prof. W. T. Bland. Claremont College in South Africa, the Industrial School near Sydney, Australia, and other smaller schools in mission fields were not represented at this meeting, but will be spoken of elsewhere. All the reports and informal talks given, showed marked progress during the last year in the educational work. It revealed the encouraging and important fact that our schools were getting down to Gospel principles of education. The worldly, pagan idea was well set forth by one of the speakers somewhat as follows: God’s idea of education is to study God, his truth in his Word and Nature, so that it becomes a part of the very being and renews the mind. Study man, but study about God and his truth, was the plan of the adversary, which the world had followed. This was the central object around which the discussion revolved. All these schools, we believe, were using a vegetarian diet, and reported good health in the schools. The industrial problem also excited interest, and is a most important one to consider. It will not only help to solve the financial problem of some of our schools, but will also be beneficial in preserving the moral and physical health of the young who are taught at these centers. May God bless our teachers and make all our institutions of learning like the schools of the prophets of old! M. C. W. Reports of Converts and Church Growth
Elder W. W. Steward reports six converts at Colville, Wash. Brother C. B. Rule reports the addition of eight to the church at Kanawha, W. Va. Seven persons were baptized in Fresno County, Cal., recently, by Elder H. G. Thurston. The brethren in Soquel, Santa Cruz County, Cal., are moving in the matter of building a house of worship. At a point four miles from Oakdale Station, Wis., Elder I. Sanborn reports thirteen adult converts and a Sabbath school of forty members. On Bailey’s and Orr’s Islands, Me., twelve persons recently embraced the truths of the last message as presented by Elders H. C. Basney and P. B. Osborne. Brother George H. Smith, a Nebraska laborer, reports the organization of a Sabbath school of sixteen members at Taylor, and another of twelve members at Milburn; also, the addition of eight persons to the company at Arcadia. A delegate in the recent General Conference says: “Only a decade ago delegates were expected to use a large share of their time considering the extension of the work in America, but now the time is given mostly to considering the work abroad.” Elder H. W. Decker sends the following from Baker City, Oregon, under date of March 2: “Work has been carried on in a hall and by visiting in this place about six weeks, which has resulted in the conversion of thirty to the truth. The Lord is working mightily.” The meetings held on Market Street, San Francisco, by Elders E. E. Andross and H. H. Dexter, are yielding fruit, several having decided to take their stand for the Sabbath of the Lord. Aside from this special interest, ten persons were baptized in the San Francisco Church, February 27. A canvassers’ institute is now in progress at Milton Junction, Wis., to continue until April 30. The canvassing work is coming more and more to be regarded not merely as a business, but as an effective means of disseminating the truth. And the more this idea is imbibed, the more successful will be the business. Religious Liberty Library, No. 46, is entitled “Baptist Principles of Religious Liberty,” and contains 47 pages; price 6 cents, subject to regular discount to the trade. It is written by Geo. B. Wheeler, who has been a Baptist clergyman for fifteen years, and has full knowledge of what he writes. The cover page illustrates an incident in the life of Roger Williams while in exile. He is kneeling in a deep forest in the midst of a snow-storm, and asking God’s blessing upon the plain fare of which he is about to partake. In this connection we find these expressive lines:— “Father of mercies, thou the wanderer’s guide!
In this dire storm along the howling waste,
Thanks for the shelter thou dost here provide,
Thanks for the mercies of the day that’s past,
And for the frugal fare thou hast supplied;
And O, may still thy tender mercies last!
And may thy light on every falsehood shine,
Till man’s freed spirit owns no law save thine!”
Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal.
39 Bond Street, 18 West Fifth Street,
New York City. Kansas City, Mo.