Earlier text: A Glimpse of Takoma ParkArgentina
By J. W. Westphal
The Lord is blessing some of the aggressive moves that are being made in Argentina. After laboring in the Chaco awhile, which resulted in the baptism of eight souls, Brother Luis Ernst went into the province of Corrientes, where an interest had sprung up among the friends of those baptized in the Chaco. As a result of his work, about twelve persons have accepted the message at Empedradas. This is our first foothold in that province, and thus another large field is added to our entered territories. At Concordia, in the province of Entre Rios, our canvassers have been working, with the result that quite an interest is awakened, and several are keeping the Sabbath. We are planning to send additional help. Concordia is an important point. Being located at the foot of the rapids in the Uruguay River, at the head of navigation, it, together with Salto, just across the river in Uruguay, is the doorway to a large part of northeastern Argentina, northwestern Uruguay, and southwestern Brazil. It has a population of perhaps fifteen thousand. We have now purchased our printing-press. I succeeded in raising over five hundred dollars in Entre Rios, among our brethren, the last two weeks before I left home. Necessarily it will take a little time before we shall be ready for work. The total amount raised for the press is about eleven hundred dollars. We expect more to be given, but not a great deal. Over six hundred dollars of this amount is paid. The most of the remainder will be paid soon. Our printing outfit will cost about twelve hundred dollars. We are well, and of good courage in the Lord. West Indies
By W. A. Sweany
Two of our faithful canvassers preceded us to Grenada, and have quite thoroughly sowed the field with our good books, which will, of course, bear fruit. We find six persons more or less fully keeping the Sabbath, and others interested. We already have evidence that this is one of the difficult fields. But we are of good courage to push the work with all the strength that God shall give us. We hope to remain here long enough to see the work firmly established in this stronghold of Catholicism. Grenada is the most picturesque and beautiful of any of the islands we have seen. There is an abundance of good water, and fruits of all kinds abound. It is said to be a healthful place. We are all enjoying perfect health, for which we daily thank God. We will report our work here as fast as it develops. We hope the interest and prayers of our friends will follow us in our new field of labor, that we may be strengthened and fitted for successful service. W. A. SWEANY. LISBON.—If I could preach in Portuguese, I could open up work now, though it would be necessary to convince the authorities that we are not “socialists,” but intend to do proper gospel work. I am now attending three or four Portuguese meetings in as many places each week, and one Scotch Presbyterian meeting, giving away tracts as I have opportunity, without calling down upon me the wrath of the preacher. To one place I took some copies of the Arauto da Verdade, and after the meeting I handed one to a man, and lo! men, women, and children crowded around, reaching out their hands for the papers, some wanting two, until I gave away twenty-five in less than nine minutes. Many more could have been given. The people who can read are glad to read anything. We have given our vegetable dealer a copy of all the tracts and papers we have in the Portuguese language. But as to the inquiries and explanations, we can not follow the interest aroused as yet. I do hope a man may be found who can help in this field without the hard work of studying the language. We shall keep our eyes open here for such. We surely shall be obliged to teach the people by preaching and reading to them, for, as I said in a former letter, eighty per cent of the people of Portugal can not read. If I could talk and understand the language well, I should be almost overwhelmed with work. SPEIGHTS TOWN.—We had our conference committee meeting January 14-16. The auditing work was attended to, and plans were laid for the work for the next six months. We expect to conduct tent efforts in Barbados, Georgetown, Demerara, Grenada, and in the country of Antigua, and institutes in Barbados, Demerara, and Trinidad. In these the whole work will be considered. Brother Enoch will assist in Demerara, and I will attend the institute in Trinidad. The reports show that there have been 1,975 sermons preached, 1,669 Bible readings held, 1,339 other meetings, 6,870 visits made, and 113 persons baptized, in our conference in 1904. Our work here in Speights Town is moving slowly, through much opposition. About twelve are keeping the Sabbath, and I believe a good work will be done. But we must stand by it, and push out into the country parts. We have organized a Sabbath-school with about twenty members, and we believe there will be a steady growth. The School Question in Washington
No Action as Yet by the Board of Education
UP to the time of closing the columns of this paper no decision had been announced by the Board of Education concerning the matter of religious instruction in the public schools of the District of Columbia, and there has been little agitation of the question during the last week. The responsibility of the family and the church for giving religious instruction was the subject of a sermon by Rev. L. D. Blakemore, of this city, which was reported in the Washington Times of May 1; and the Washington Post of the same date contained the following letter:— “EDITOR POST: The pastors of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, who presented a petition to the Board of Education against the introduction of religious instruction in the public schools of the District, urged that their plea was not given that publicity which would have shown the reasonableness of their position. The petition was, in part, as follows:— “We, the undersigned preachers, representing the Methodist Episcopal Church South in the District of Columbia, deplore the present unseemly agitation over the question of the proposed introduction of religious instruction into the public schools of the District, and respectfully submit our protest against the measure on the following grounds:— “We recognize the moral and religious crisis now imperiling the country, and are ready to co-operate in all legitimate efforts to uphold law and order, stay crime, and improve morals and religion, through education or otherwise, on the basis of the ‘golden rule’ and the guarantee of civil and religious freedom to all alike. We heartily sympathize with the laudable aim, but question seriously the means suggested in the proposed action. It would be a step backward, not forward; and, by arousing sectarian prejudices and animosities, would defeat the very end sought, impair the confidence of the people in the schools, and ultimately destroy the American common school, or lead to an established religion and the reunion of church and state, a result that will be relentlessly opposed by every loyal American citizen. “The proposed legislation proceeds upon these false premises: First, that the home and the church, set for the very work of imparting moral and religious instruction, recognized by all as necessary for American citizenship, have acknowledged failure; secondly, that since the regular agencies have failed, the state, in self-defense, is justified in assuming, and in duty bound to assume, the burden of the moral and religious instruction of her future citizens. In fact, the church and the home have not failed, nor has the American state any legal or moral right, under any circumstances whatever, to impart religious instruction in the slightest degree. . . . “We stand second to none in our loyalty to the Constitution and the established institutions of our country, chief among which is the American common school, established on non-sectarian principles of the separation of church and state. We deny absolutely the right or expediency of introducing religious instruction into the tax-supported school in the United States. We deny the principle that religious instruction, under any possible contingency, is a proper function of the American state, and brand all arguments and analogies drawn from the educational experience of European countries with a state church, as false and misleading for this country. We deny that the common school is responsible for the moral and religious crisis in the country, and protest against the proposed introduction of religious instruction into the public schools as reactionary, un-American, unconstitutional, illegal, subversive of civil and religious liberty, and, whether advocated wittingly or unwittingly of the vital principles involved, as inimical to the best interests of both church and state, and tending to aggravate rather than cure the ills of society. Such reactionary school legislation, we believe, would justly expose our honorable Board of Education and the citizens of the District of Columbia to the ridicule and contempt of leading educators and all fair-minded, liberty-loving American citizens the country over. “The Constitution of the United States expressly forbids such sectarian teaching of religion and morals in the tax-supported school as is generally conceded to be necessary for complete moral character and American citizenship. The American common school was never designed to give complete preparation for American citizenship. No objection is made to the teaching of such a body of commonly accepted principles of morality as might be agreed upon. But we oppose thrusting upon the common school the extra burden of the home, the Sunday-school, and the church, in addition to its legitimate work as a branch of the state, as confusing and destructive to all. Such an educational policy would be suicidal. . . . “We would respectfully call attention to the fact that this whole question of religious toleration in education was fought out by Thomas Jefferson and the framers of the Constitution in Virginia. The Bible and religion constituted the big end of the wedge in the colonial school. This was possible in New England, with a homogeneous population and one common religion. In Virginia, with the introduction of various nationalities and religious denominations, as well as in Massachusetts later, religious controversies began concerning education, and the secularizing trend set in that has gradually reduced the Bible and religion to a minimum in the tax-supported school. . . . “Slight appreciation has been shown so far in this discussion of the contemporary movements in American educational history, nor of the existence since February, 1903, of the Religious Education Association, organized by leading educators and ministers of the United States, now numbering many hundreds of members, for the express purpose of solving this greatest question that faces our country to-day; namely, of determining the proper places, respectively, of the church and the state, and of their right correlation with all other moral and religious forces in the vast work of the moral and religious education of the American people This great organization seeks the solution of the crisis in morals and religion now facing the country, not in senile involution and reactionary returns to the primitive matter and methods of our colonial ancestors, but in development, the proper correlation of the common school, the home, the Sunday-school, the church, and various other social factors, to the end that a proper and harmonious division of labor may be secured, and the adequate physical, mental, moral, and religious development be guaranteed to the rising generation of American citizens. “JOHN LEE BROOKS,
Emory Church;
WILLIAM F. LOCKE,
Mount Vernon Place Church;
D. L. BLAKEMORE,
Epworth Church;
W. H. BALLENGER,
West Washington Church;
J. C. HAWK,
Marvin Church.” Revival in the Lincoln (Neb.) Church
By R. D. QUINN
THE definite work of deliverance from sin and the reception of the Holy Spirit is going forward in the Lincoln church, as in all other places where the standard has been lifted. On a recent evening all who were present, except three, surrendered their lives fully to God, claiming by faith the power that saves to the uttermost. There is a settled conviction taking hold of our people in this great center where this message is being given, that we are coming to a sharp turn in the fulfilment of God's plans, and by special manifestations of his power, he will cut the work short in righteousness. But this will not be done by the outpouring of the latter rain suddenly upon an unprepared people. Only “those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.” This brings every one connected with this last great movement face to face with the definite experience of Christian perfection,—perfection as pertaining to the conscience. Therefore, in order to receive the latter rain, we must receive the former rain. Let no man think that he will receive anything of God who does not first comply with the conditions upon which the “perfecting latter rain” is promised. To sin, wherever found, “our God is a consuming fire.” Before Elijah was translated, Elisha asked that a double portion of the spirit of Elijah might rest upon him. Elijah's reply to this eager aspirant was not arbitrary, but conditional: “If thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.” Perhaps there was not another individual in all Israel pure enough to have lived amid the chariots and horses of fire that swept Elijah to heaven, or to have been sensible of this glorious visitation. Our reception of the Spirit will be in exact proportion to the subjection of the flesh. Elisha met the conditions, and claimed the promised blessing, crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.” And his life ever afterward testified to the mighty workings of the Holy Spirit.20 “Only those who are living up to all the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may fall on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.”
R. D. QUINN. CALCUTTA.—The general meeting is past. The Spirit of the Lord was present, and it was the testimony of the workers that it was the best general meeting we have had in this field. Business was handled in a united spirit, and new plans were laid with the unanimous approval of all. We tried to keep before the workers the fact that Christ is coming soon, and that it is God's will that we should go forth unhindered and unhampered to proclaim the message of the hour to the people of India. Brethren Votaw and Hansen, with their wives, were sent to Burma. Brother Mong Mong attended the meeting, and he and Brother Meyers made a strong appeal for that part of the field. Brother Hansen will canvass and do all health work, making his labors, as far as possible, self-supporting. Brother Meyers will work in the canvassing field for the time being, in southern India, and when the tent arrives, will probably give Brother Armstrong a lift in Colombo. Sisters Orr and Meyers will locate at Bangalore, where an interest has developed from the work of Sister Orr. We shall remove the printing-press to Karmatar, and connect it with our training-school. Brother Little will have the oversight of the press, and will assist on the paper. We believe it will be cheaper to operate the press there. The price of labor and rent will be less, and we shall be able to give more of our time to our own work, which will continually increase as we get out our literature in different languages. If we publish our tracts in Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Burmese, and Santali, together with our work in English, we shall have all we can manage. This will give our boys who are attending school a chance to learn how to set type, and it will take more of our laborers outside of Calcutta, which will be better for their health. Brother Little will give what time he can to the study of the Bengali language. We hope to open up a school at Cora, a village four miles from Karmatar, where no missionaries have yet gone. It may be that Brother Mukerjee will locate there. A Church, the Result
By Jas. Cochran
“THERE are many who, because of prejudice, will never know the truth unless it is brought to their homes. The canvasser may find these souls, and minister to them. There is a line of work in house-to-house labor which he can accomplish more successfully than others. He can become acquainted with the people and understand their true necessities; he can pray with them, and can point them to the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Thus the way will be opened for the special message for this time to find access to their hearts.” A number of instances, a few of which are most remarkable, have come to our notice recently which demonstrate the truthfulness of the statement just quoted from the Testimonies. About a year ago one of our faithful canvassers entered the field and placed a copy of “Great Controversy” in almost every home in the community in which he worked. The Lord especially impressed the great truths found in this book on the hearts of the readers. At the request of the people interested, the president of the conference visited the community recently, and organized a Sabbath-school of twenty-five members. A minister has now been sent to give further instructions preparatory to church organization. The faithful canvasser is rejoicing to-day over the results of his first year’s work. In writing to us a few days ago, he said, “The book work will be my life-work.” This instance is quite remarkable, and certainly should serve as an incentive for others to enter this good work. IN a report of meetings at Grafton, W. Va., which were begun April 8, Elder B. F. Purdham says: “The attendance was good from the first, and continues to increase. Five, all heads of families, have decided to keep the Sabbath, and many others are deeply interested and acknowledge the truth.” BROTHER J. G. SAUNDERS says in a report from Elk County, Pa.: “When I came here, there was one Sabbath-keeper who came forty miles to attend our meeting in Punxie. Though a Sabbath-keeper in theory, he was an unconverted21 man. He was converted, and wanted to be baptized. I held meetings near his place, and he, his wife, three of his sons, and three others were baptized. There was a prospect that we might have a church organized. But this brother was called to New York State, and is now elder of our church where he lives. His son and wife have gone to Tennessee as teachers. Now there are eighteen Sabbath-keepers within a distance of twenty miles, and a score of others who believe we have the truth, but make no profession of religion. I held four Bible readings with one family recently, and they are now keeping the Sabbath, and rejoicing in the light, and there are eight others who I expect will step in soon.” THE Sabbath truth has recently gained four new converts at Leavenworth, Kan. A SABBATH-SCHOOL of thirteen members was organized at Shreeve, Ohio, April 8. FOURTEEN persons received the ordinance of baptism at St. Charles, Mich., April 15. A SABBATH-SCHOOL of twenty-two members was recently organized near Gladys, Ohio. ON a recent Sabbath six persons were added to the membership of the church at Sharpsburg, Iowa. AT Medaryville, Ind., seven persons have accepted the message and received baptism, under the labors of Elder Byron Hagle. ELDER A. R. OGDEN reports that ten or twelve have recently taken a stand for the truth at Glenelder, Kan., several of whom are awaiting baptism. BROTHER C. A. PEDICORD, of the Cincinnati, Ohio, church, reports a good outside attendance at the Sabbath meetings there, as a result of which some have begun the observance of the Sabbath, and several have made a request for baptism. A REPORT of the last quarterly meeting of the Altoona, Kan., church, held April 8, 9, says: “Church officers were elected, and three members received into the church. On the last night of the meeting, three more presented themselves for membership, two of them for baptism.” IN a summary of work for the past quarter in the Wyoming mission field, the superintendent, Elder J. H. Wheeler, says: “Brethren Kirkle and Porter held a series of meetings in a schoolhouse near Gordon. Although they met with severe opposition from the ministers in that field, the last report received from them stated that eleven had signed the covenant, two others were keeping the Sabbath, and nine were on the point of decision. There seems to be an interest all over the neighborhood. One encouraging feature of their work is that three whole families have taken their stand for the truth. Brother Garton has been laboring during the quarter at Hill City. He has met with much determined opposition at this place, which has made the work move rather slowly. A number of meetings have taken their stand for the truth, and a Sabbath-school of fifteen members has been organized at that place. Several have begun to keep the Sabbath as a result of the personal work of our faithful members. One woman reports that her husband and all his hired help have begun the observance of the Sabbath. Brother Adkins has been laboring in Laramie, preparatory to a tent effort there in the summer. He reports three families greatly interested. He is holding cottage meetings at the present time.” COLOMBO.— We are here in a new field, struggling to get our work opened up, with an absolutely empty treasury. We have felt this very keenly, and do feel that we need to have our hands strengthened by coworkers and means. Since writing you, we have had to change our home, as the family with whom we were living gave up their house. This, of course, made another break in our work, and caused additional expenditure. We believe, however, that the little place we have taken will be better suited to our needs, and that we shall enjoy more freedom in gathering the people in. We had two little meetings on Sunday, and those who attended were much interested. We feel that the Lord requires of us faithfulness in sowing the seed, and that in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. We shall do as much as we can with our literature in the homes of the people, and we know that the Lord will bless every effort put forth. We have just received a stock of books from Calcutta, and hope to get these out among the people. In this way we can help to bring money into the treasury, and so relieve the situation that hinders the progress of the work. While we were in Calcutta, our hands were full of work, and our hearts were full of joy, and I sincerely pray that God will open up for us here a field just as full of usefulness. By the time the conference opens, we shall be entering upon our third year in the East. The Lord has been gracious to us since we came here, and to-day we are all enjoying perfect health. The hot season is coming upon us very fast, and the people are leaving the cities for the hills, but we shall try to abide where we are. We sincerely trust that we may be allowed to remain here until we shall see a well-established church gathered out from the people of Ceylon. We send our greetings to all of like precious faith. New Mexico
By Milo D. Warfle
ROSWELL.—Since we came to New Mexico, we have been instrumental in helping thirty-six precious souls into the church through the ordinance of baptism. Several others have come in on the strength of their previous baptisms. The most of these are now members of the Roswell and Alamogordo churches, which have been organized during the past two years. Seed sown over a year ago is just beginning to yield fruit. During the past two weeks, two have united with the Roswell church, and five others give evidence that they will soon be ready for membership. Please remember them at the throne of grace, and do not forget to pray that we may have more of the power of God in doing his work. MILO D. WARFLE. “There Are Last Which Shall Be First”
By R. A. Underwood
THERE are circumstances which arise in connection with the cause of God when Christ’s statement, “There are last which shall be first,” has a special application, although, as a rule, the converse of this is true. We have reached a period in the work of God where this scripture has an application. Our people have watched with interest the development of events at the national capital since the removal of the Review and Herald and the General Conference offices to Washington. A call for one hundred thousand dollars was made to establish the work at the national capital. This fund has gradually grown from donations varying from twenty-five cents up to one thousand dollars, until over two thirds of this amount has been raised. Some have been impressed by the Spirit of God to give one thousand dollars, or more, but for some reason they have failed to act upon these convictions. The Lord has servants, stewards of his goods, who are impressed just now to give large sums to make up quickly the amount lacking of this fund. Great blessings will come to those who respond at once to the call of God. A spirit of hope and courage will go throughout the whole field if this fund is all raised before the General Conference closes. Who will just now improve the opportunity of being first in giving two thousand dollars, or more, of the means entrusted to them, for the work in Washington? Those who can not give this amount can add to the long list of donors of less sums. Carry out the conviction of your soul without another day’s delay, and thereby receive the benediction, “The last shall be first,” in the blessed work of this hour. —A constitution for the government of the Transvaal has been promulgated by the British government. It establishes a legislative assembly, all members of which, save executive officers, are to be elected. Negroes are excluded from the franchise; also those not included in the latest list of burghers who have not occupied for six months premises valued at $500 or rented at fifty dollars or more per annum. —The progress of the teamsters' strike in Chicago was marked by fierce fighting in the streets, May 1 and 2, in which scores of people were injured, and several were killed. A spirit of utter lawlessness possessed the mob of strikers and their sympathizers, and in many cases people in no way connected with the strike were made the victims of deadly assault. Prominent business men of Chicago sent an appeal to Governor Deneen for the presence of the State troops to restore peace, but this move was opposed by Mayor Dunne and the chief of police. Suits for damages have been filed in the superior court of Chicago, against President Shea of the Teamsters' Union. —May day in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, was marked by a terrible tragedy, similar to that in St. Petersburg a short time ago. A parade of workingmen was fired upon by the troops, and more than one hundred persons, some of whom were women and children, were shot down. The shooting is said to have been entirely unprovoked, and public indignation in Warsaw and throughout Poland is intense. There were serious disturbances also at Lodz, four persons being killed there. At Militipol and Nizhni Novgorod, in European Russia, there were serious Easter disturbances. At the former place the mob held possession of the streets, and burned a portion of the town, and at the latter a pitched battle occurred between the mob and the troops, many persons being wounded by bullets, and one killed. —Latest advices from the Eastern Asiatic coast report the Russian Baltic fleet as still hovering in the China Sea, south of Formosa, no fighting between it and the Japanese fleet having occurred. Two reasons may have influenced the Russian admiral to tarry in this position, one being the advantage of effecting a junction with Admiral Negobatoff's squadron, and the other, the advantage of being near a French port in case of disaster to his fleet, as it is certain more favor would be shown him by France than by the United States or Great Britain. The Russian admiral has apparently been waiting for Admiral Togo to come south and fight him near Kamranh Bay, and the Japanese commander, on the other hand, having made preparations to deal with the Russian fleet when it comes farther north, as it must do to reach its destination, is not going to depart from his plan of campaign by going south, away from his home base. It is reported that a letter written by Admiral Rozhdestvensky to his relatives in Russia pictures the situation as a hopeless one for himself on account of the lack of discipline among the sailors of his fleet. THE delegates and friends from California started for Washington in a special car on Wednesday, May 3. In this party are Elder W. C. White and his wife, and Sister E. G. White. They planned to stop a day or two on the way, and to arrive in Washington, Thursday morning, May 11, the opening day of the conference. AMONG the first things to occupy the attention of the conference will be the recommendation for creating a medical department, and for electing the members of this new department as delegates to the conference. This action will be suggested in order that the medical work may have a larger professional representation, although there are already twelve physicians among the delegates. FOR several weeks the builders have been working overtime in order to complete the dormitories of the Washington Training College before the opening of the conference. During the last ten days an extra force of helpers has been employed in clearing the grounds, pitching the tents, and putting the camp in readiness for the delegates and visitors. The weather has been favorable, and willing-hearted workers have labored faithfully so that everything should be prepared in good time. The surroundings are all that could be desired, and there is every reason to believe that the experiment of holding the General Conference in camp will work out in a most satisfactory manner. ON the program of the cantata “Saul, King of Israel,” rendered at one of the Washington churches last week, there appeared the following paragraph with reference to the Takoma Park Chorus, which formed a part of the large chorus: “A number of Seventh-day Adventists, who have recently settled in the Park, have become identified with the work, adding greatly to the size and effectiveness of the chorus, which at the present time numbers upward of fifty.” The Washington papers have already begun to publish articles concerning the General Conference. The Evening Star of April 6 contained an article occupying nearly a full column, dealing with the general features of the conference. The same paper in its issue of April 30 contained a statement of the plans for the erection of buildings for the use of the Review and Herald Publishing Association and the General Conference. It is expected that the city papers will give regular reports during the session of the conference.