A LADY had just parted with some friends who had been her guests for a few days, and, with a feeling of loneliness, sat down in her now deserted drawing-room. Looking around for some book, her eyes fell upon the Bible. She opened it, and read the words (Isa. 39 : 4), "What have they seen in thine house?" Strange words! What do they mean? She glanced through the preceding chapters, and learned how graciously the Lord had delivered Hezekiah, first from the dangers of battle, and then from sickness. She then read how visitors came with presents from the king of Babylon, and how Hezekiah entertained them. What did he show them? "Not the Lord's doings," said the lady to herself, with a rising feeling of self-reproach.
"Surely" she thought, "the Lord must have sent these words to me. Do not I resemble Hezekiah? Two years ago the Lord delivered me in my terrible conflict with unbelief, and brought me out into the liberty and joy of a child of God. Last summer when I lay in my darkened chamber, sick, nigh unto death, I entreated him, and said within my heart, Oh! that I were allowed now to tell all my friends of this glorious Jesus, his love, his death, his righteousness, and all his marvelous riches and grace."
"Mrs. R. and her daughters have been my guests. I fear they are too much like the visitors from Babylon. And now the Lord asks, 'What have they seen in thine house?' What have I to answer? Last night, a dinner was given for them. I remember how every one admired the new paintings in my dining-room. After dinner I showed them all our water-colored drawings, and then I took Mrs. R. to my boudoir to see my new carpet. I do not remember what they saw on Tuesday, excepting that I showed Mrs. R. that beautiful set of jewels my uncle gave me. We spent Wednesday afternoon consulting about what our children should wear next spring. What an opportunity I lost of telling her of the spotless robe of righteousness of God. And poor Marian has gone home longing to have a bracelet like that she saw on my table, and hoping to persuade her father to get her one."
"Had I been faithful, she might have left me to speak to her father of Jesus and his glory. What have they seen in my house? Alas! vanity, idleness, worldly treasures. And what have they heard? True, they heard family reading and family prayers. But it must have seemed a mere formality. They must have thought that we had far more delight in the songs we sung, and the gay conversation which the form of family worship scarcely interrupted. Although I thought about him, and often longed to speak about him, yet they have left me, having seen nothing better than the visitors from Babylon saw in the house of Hezekiah. Is not this a word to my soul?"
Reader, is not this a word to thy soul? Look around you, and see how many things you have gathered around you which war against the soul. Review your social intercourse, your entertainment of guests and visitors, and then to God answer the question, "What have they seen in thine house?"
Oh! that the robe of Christ were the rich apparel we delighted to show, and that the word of Jesus dwelt in us so really that we could not refrain from testifying of him.—Advocate and Guardian.
Christian Obedience and Freedom
Some people think of obedience as if it were nothing else, and could be nothing else, than servitude. And it must be admitted, that constrained obedience is so. He who obeys by compulsion and not freely, wears a chain upon his spirit which continually frets and torments, while it confines him. But this is not Christian obedience. To obey with the whole heart, in other words, to obey as Christ would have us, is essentially the same as to be perfectly resigned to the will of God; having no will but his. And he must have strange notions of the interior and purified life, who supposes that the obedience which revolves constantly and joyfully within the limits of Divine Will, partakes of the nature of servitude. On the contrary, true obedience, that which has its seat in the affections, and which flows out like the gushing of water, may be said, in a very important sense, to possess not only the nature, but the very essence of freedom.
Making Work a Pleasure
When our work becomes a pleasure, it is we that make it so; we are a sunshine upon it receiving the reflection in return.
The Bible.
Who composed the following description of the Bible we may never know. It was found in Westminister Abbey, nameless and dateless, but nevertheless it is invaluable for its wise and wholesome counsel to the race of Adam.
A nation would be truly happy if it were governed by no other laws than those of this blessed book.
It contains every thing needful to be known or done.
It gives instruction to a senate, authority and directions to a magistrate.
It cautions a witness, requires an impartial verdict of a jury, and furnishes the judge with his sentence.
It sets the husband as the lord of his household, and wife as mistress of the table—tells him how to rule, and her how to manage.
It entails honor to parents, and enjoins obedience on children.
It prescribes and limits the sway of the sovereign, the rule of the ruler, and the authority of the master: commands the subjects to honor and the servant to obey, and the blessings and the protection of the Almighty to all that walk by this rule.
It gives directions for weddings and burials.
It promises food and raiment, and limits the use of both.
It points out a faithful and eternal Guardian to the departing husband and father; tells him with whom to leave his fatherless children, and whom his widow is to trust—and promises a father to the former, and a husband to the latter.
It teaches a man to set his house in order, and how to make his will; it appoints a dowry for his wife, and entails the rights of the first-born, and shows how the young branches shall be left.
It defends the right of all, and reveals vengeance to every defaulter, overreacher, and trespasser.
It is the first book, the best book.
It contains the choicest matter, gives the best instruction, affords the greatest degree of pleasure and satisfaction, that we have ever enjoyed.
It contains the best laws and most profound mysteries that were ever penned; and it brings the very best comforts to the inquiring and disconsolate.
It is a brief recital of all that is to come.
It settles all matters in debate, resolves all doubts, and eases the mind and conscience of all their scruples.
It reveals the only living and true God, and shows the way to him, and sets aside all other gods, and describes the vanity of them and all that trust in such; in short, it is a book of laws, to show right and wrong; of wisdom, that condemns a folly and makes the foolish wise; a book of truth, that detects all lies and confronts all errors: and it is a book of life, that shows the way from everlasting death.
It contains the most ancient antiquities and strange events; wonderful occurrences, heroic deeds, unparalleled war.
It describes the celestial, terrestrial, and infernal worlds, and the origin of the angelic myriads, the human tribes, and the devilish legions.
It will instruct the accomplished mechanic and most profound critic.
It teaches the best rhetorician, and exercises every power of the most skillful arithmetician, puzzles the wisest anatomist, and exercises the wisest critic.
It is the best covenant that ever was agreed on; the best deed that ever was sealed; the best that will ever be signed.
"I was Saved at the Bottom of the Sea."
So SAID one of our Sydney divers to a city missionary. In his house, in one of our suburbs, might be seen lately, what would probably strike the visitor as a very strange chimney ornament—the shells of an oyster holding fast a piece of printed paper. But devoutly do I wish that every chimney ornament could tell such a tale of usefulness. The possessor of this ornament might well value it. He was diving among the wrecks on our coast, when he observed at the bottom of the sea, this oyster on a rock with this piece of paper in its mouth, which he detached and commenced to read through the goggles of his headdress. It was a gospel tract, and coming to him thus strangely and unexpectedly, so impressed his unconverted heart that he said, "I can hold out against God's mercy in Christ no longer, since it pursues me thus." He tells us that he became, while in the ocean's depth, a repentant, converted and (as he was assured) sin-forgiven man—"saved at the bottom of the sea."—Sel.
Christian Obedience and Freedom
Some people think of obedience as if it were nothing else, and could be nothing else, than servitude. And it must be admitted, that constrained obedience is so. He who obeys by compulsion and not freely, wears a chain upon his spirit which continually frets and torments, while it confines him. But this is not Christian obedience. To obey with the whole heart, in other words, to obey as Christ would have us, is essentially the same as to be perfectly resigned to the will of God; having no will but his. And he must have strange notions of the interior and purified life, who supposes that the obedience which revolves constantly and joyfully within the limits of Divine Will, partakes of the nature of servitude. On the contrary, true obedience, that which has its seat in the affections, and which flows out like the gushing of water, may be said, in a very important sense, to possess not only the nature, but the very essence of freedom.
Gilroy, Cal.
By J. H. Waggoner
Sabbath and first-day, July 10, 11, I was at San Jose, and it was a profitable season. The brethren and sisters were much encouraged; one who has long been halting has taken his stand for the truth, and I am informed that another has given notice to his employer to fill his place, as he cannot longer work on the Sabbath. May the Lord strengthen them to overcome.
Yesterday, Sabbath the 17th, was a good day in Gilroy; thirteen from San Jose and Santa Clara were with us, and a brother and sister from Sherman, and they all had a mind to work. The Lord was manifestly with us in our prayer and conference meetings, and in preaching, and it was a great encouragement to those who have embraced the truth here.
During the past week things had looked somewhat discouraging. The nights, part of the time, were uncomfortably cold, and some of the more feeble ones were tired, and our congregations were small. And a few who had expressed a determination to keep the Sabbath seemed to be wavering; special efforts were put forth to overthrow them. We were surprised at the statements made by some who have a reputation for ability to influence those who were following their conscientious convictions. We felt like humbling ourselves before the Lord, and cried unto him for help, and he heard us, and our hearts rejoiced in his salvation. We trust there are some here now who have felt some of the good spirit of the third angel's message, and will hold fast that which they have till they possess the crown.
This forenoon was occupied in giving a brief history of the work, and in some business matters. After a sermon this afternoon two more were baptized, after which our visiting friends left for their homes.
There have been sold here about $40 worth of books, and have obtained fifteen paying subscribers for the SIGNS, and three for the Tidende.
To-morrow we go to Hollister, San Benito Co., which will be our address till further notice.
J. H. WAGGONER.
Gilroy, Cal., July 18.
A Frank Acknowledgement on the Mode of Baptism.
By D. T. Bourdeau
BEFORE me is a French Catholic translation of the New Testament with notes and the literal commentary "du Pere des Carrieres" in the text, approved by the archbishop of Quebec, in which I find a very candid acknowledgement on the ancient mode of baptism. In this version Rom. 6 : 4, with commentary, reads thus :—
"For we have been buried with him in baptism to die to sin, that as Jesus Christ was raised from among the dead by the glory of his Father, to enter into a glorious and immortal life, so we, having emerged out of the waters of baptism, should lead a new and incorruptible life."
The notes on this verse are as follows :—
"The death, burial, and resurrection, of Jesus Christ are the principal and model of our death to sin and our resurrection to grace and righteousness. Baptism is to our souls what the cross and sepulcher were to Jesus Christ. . . . The baptismal water in which, according to the ancient usage, the candidate was entirely plunged, is as the tomb in which we are buried, and from which we come forth with a new life, that is to say, the life of grace and righteousness which is given by Jesus Christ."
It is indeed better to acknowledge the truth than to cover it to uphold error.—D. T. BOURDEAU, in Review and Herald.
Good Cheer.
By Editor
THE following lines from a subscriber in Ft. Scott, Kansas, speak for themselves. The spirit of self-denial and trust in the letter is commendable:—
"Inclosed you will find fifty cents to assist in paying for my paper. I can send no more at present, but I cannot do without the paper, so I will try to send all I can at a time. Our circumstances are very limited at present. My husband is only getting 84 cents a day for a hard day's work, but still we are not discouraged. We are trying to live Christians and keep the commandments of God, and his promises are we shall be provided for if we hold out faithful."
Work and Daily Bread
God gives food to every bird, but he does not bring it to the nest; in like manner he gives us our daily bread, but by means of our daily work.
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.
Missionary Work.
It requires a little time, especially for those who have not been used to doing business by system, to get into the working harness of the missionary society. Even those who are in the habit of doing business systematically, and who are used to keeping a record of all their business transactions, require a little time to familiarize their minds with the T. and M. system. For this reason it is essential to give “line upon line” in missionary instruction. Once stating a proposition does not meet the case, but the principles must be laid down again and again. We shall try to illustrate from time to time, as far as we understand it, all the different departments of the T. and M. work, until all our officers are sufficiently established and informed, as to be able to instruct those who may newly come to the faith and unite with the society.
The first, and essential thing requisite for this work, is a desire to do good, and to possess a spirit of consecration, and a love to labor, then the inquiry will naturally come in, “where is the work to be done?” “How can I perform in the most acceptable manner the work I find to do?” The system devised for the carrying on of T. and M. work is not designed to take the place of the spirit of devotion and labor, but it comes in merely as a great regulator to the work, and a prompter to deeds of good in the furtherance of the truth and the cause of God in all of its departments, especially those departments which embody more particularly the lay members and their work.
The object of the society is thus stated in the Constitution of the Tract and Missionary Societies of Seventh-day Adventists, ART. III. “The objects of this society shall be: 1. The proper distribution of our tracts, pamphlets, and books. 2. To obtain subscribers for our periodicals; to collect dues and renew subscriptions and to pay subscriptions for the worthy poor; and for this purpose, agents shall be appointed, who shall report quarterly to the Directors of their districts. 3. To visit and labor (by correspondence or otherwise) for the encouragement and help of the precious scattered ones of like faith; for those who are falling back because of discouragement; and to interest all within the reach of our interest in the great truths connected with the last message of mercy to the world. 4. To find homes for those who may be destitute and needy, for the truth's sake. 5. To bring about, as far as possible, equality among our people, in the payment of Systematic Benevolence in accordance with the plan adopted, in taking stock in our institutions . . . , and in donating to other benevolent enterprizes, which from time to time, may arise for the purpose of forwarding the work.”
It will be seen by the above that an ample field is opened, with varied and abundant labor for those who may wish to perform it. The work is not confined to one branch, or to one field. If we cannot see a work to do in the immediate neighborhood where we live, we have the whole world as a field, so we may labor, by correspondence or otherwise, for all within the reach of our influence. In accordance with this plan, correspondence and tract distribution is being carried on with parties both near and remote. Some have their regular correspondents in China, Russia, Spain, New Zeland, and Gibraltar. The writer is holding regular correspondence with an interested party who has become a believer by reading, and who is in the diamond fields of South Africa, five hundred miles above Cape Town, Cape Colony, at a point from which it requires just four months to send a letter and get a return. Yet these silent messages find their way through the modern accommodation of mail carrying.
We must not get our ideas in too narrow a compass, either as regards the nature of the missionary work, or the field in which we may labor. We receive some letters in which the parties say: “There is not much opportunity for T. and M. labor in our church as the field in our vicinity has been very well canvassed.” Suppose it has, you are not confined in your tract distribution to your own town, State, or nation. Anywhere on earth that you can place reading matter before the candid, do it, and even though you may not understand a word of Danish, Swedish, French, or German, tracts are made ready to your hand in these languages with which you may be doing a work for those of other tongues.
Your reports of T. and M. labor, in the shape of tract distribution, visiting, letter writing, etc., are to be made in your own district, to the librarian of your own church, but the labor itself may be performed for those anywhere on this broad earth or upon the islands of the sea, anywhere that you can do good, it is your privilege to labor. Of course, as our State is divided into districts, it is expected of those in those districts that they will make special efforts to awaken an interest in their own district, but their labors are not necessarily confined there. Work anywhere you can raise an interest. “Do with your might what your hands find to do.”
The apostles said, it was not meet that they should leave the word of God and serve tables. While in this world every cause must, necessarily, have financial aid to move it on, and where the T. and M. organization is perfected and in good working order, the servants of God may devote themselves to the ministry of the word, while the lay members, moving in harmony, and by system, raise the necessary means to carry on the work in all its departments. So as stated in ART. III. of the Constitution, one object of the missionary society is to secure equality in raising means. Systematic Benevolence according to the reasoning of Paul in 2 Cor. 8: 9, and 1 Cor. 6: 1, 2, is on the very plan of equality, each doing “as God has prospered them,” or “according to their ability.” The director has, as a part of his work in each district, seeing that all come up to the work in harmony with the plan of S. B. adopted.
The society is to see, also, that there is equality in raising means for any enterprise. To illustrate: suppose it was deemed advisable to raise $1000, as a mission or tent fund, in a State where there were 500 T. and M. members, $2.00 per head would raise it. A district having forty members of course would have $80.00 to raise, and while it might not be equality, even in that district, that each member should pay the $2.00, as some might be very poor and others fully able, still, as a general rule, this might be a basis for dividing the sum to be raised, the directors, at the same time taking into account in their division the wealth or poverty of the district. And again the director, in any district dividing up the portion to be raised among the churches of his district, counseling with the librarian or business agent of his district, might for the same reason see cause to make some variation in dividing up the portion among his churches, while the individual free-will offerings that might be made to meet the same would all be on the same great plan that S. B. is raised; each donating “as God has prospered them,” “according to their ability.”
Again, a part of the missionary work is to assist in finding homes for orphans, to help the needy and widows, to assist those in finding employment in consequence of having embraced the truth. It is not needful to wait till your quarterly meeting before you report such ones, nor to wait to be invited to report, but each member should report at once to the State secretary any case of this kind that may come up, that the secretary may call the attention of the president and directors to the matter, in which case immediate action is taken to assist the needy and the destitute.
Where this system of T. and M. work is fully adopted, and carried on in all its branches it is no marvel that a still greater interest is awakened among the members, and an outside interest soon made manifest. Activity is the life of any church or society, so in this case. The reports come from all the States that the more thoroughly they adopt and enter into the work of the T. and M. society, the more the cause advances. I believe it was reported at one conference last year that in one State they had nearly doubled their membership by the T. and M. work alone. Their efficient ministers being employed in other States. Let us, one and all, study this T. and M. system, and as rapidly as possible, each in our appropriate position, do all we can in the missionary work. J. N. L.
Memberships.
By John Norton Loughborough
The payment of one dollar, by any person who is a member in good standing in a Seventh-day Adventist church, or paid by any person favorable to the extension of these truths, who may be recommended to membership by a S. D. A. church, constitutes the person paying the $1.00 a permanent member of the T. and M. society of the State in which he resides, where said society is organized. But, as the T. and M. society is a State organization, of course removal from one State to another would not constitute them members in the new State. It is expected therefore that they will become members in the State they may enter by paying into the T. and M. funds of said State, the sum of $1.00 for membership.
Why, it may be asked, should we pay money to become members of a missionary society? You do not pay this $1.00 for the privilege of doing good. It is your privilege to do good any way you can of course, buy all the tracts you please, and distribute reading matter on your own hook, still it is advisable that all move in harmony, and by system. The dollars obtained by membership or from donations that may be made from time to time to the T. and M. funds either by members or any one favorable to the enterprise, are invested in the purchase of tracts and documents for free distribution by the members. These documents are sold by our publishing houses at greatly reduced rates, so that a member even, who should choose to buy their tracts for distribution, of the society, would get them much cheaper than they would were they not members. They are not obliged to buy the tracts, however, but it is their pleasure, and expected of them, that they will take the tracts and documents of the society gratis, loaning, giving, or selling them, as they find the opportunity. What they receive from sale of documents, or as donations from those disposed to give to help the enterprise, is to be paid over by them to the librarian of their respective churches to be placed in the T. and M. funds.
The librarian of each church, who is appointed to his or her office by the director of the district, is expected to keep an accurate list of all persons who have paid $1.00 each into the T. and M. funds of that church. The librarian should give a copy of this list into the hands of the district secretary of his district.
The district secretary should have a list book, in which should be entered a list of the names of all persons in the district who have paid $1.00. Each and are thereby members of the State T. and M. society. These lists kept by the district secretary should be arranged by churches, those connected with the society of such church being placed by themselves, and the scattered individuals who are members in the district, being placed under their respective post offices.
The district secretaries are expected to forward a list of all paid members in their respective districts to the State secretary. These lists should be arranged by churches and post offices, so that the State secretary may have on her books an exact list of all members in the State with their locations.
It is expected that the librarians, and T. and M. members will save the names of all S. D. Adventist members of the T. and M. society, and in addition to this as many names as may be, of persons who are favorable to the work and may be recommended to membership as above. As soon as any individual has paid his $1.00 for membership, report the name with his P. O. address, to the district secretary. The district secretary should immediately add it to his list in its appropriate place, and forward the names to the State secretary that she also may make the proper entry on her lists. Let no librarian send the names of persons who have simply promised to pay. They are not members and should not be recorded as such until the $1.00 is paid; but when any pay their $1.00 report them immediately. If all are faithful to their duty in this matter the State secretary will have the name before she gets the financial report of that district for that quarter, and there will no occasion for questions like the following, which I received a few days since: "Dist. No. --, reports $2.00 as paid for membership during the quarter in that district. Where are the names? Is it not the duty of the district secretary to send me the names as soon as they are paid?" Still another question: "Has dist. No. -- no paid members? I have never received any list of members at all from that district. When will these officers learn their duties?"
You see what appears to be a small neglect occasions some perplexity to our willing secretary. I hope as we pass over this missionary ground again and learn what to do, that we shall all be prompt in doing the work assigned to us, that we may not add to the labors of our secretary any unnecessary burdens.
Some may not see why we should be thus particular about these lists. There are several reasons. 1. As to the whole State. If means is to be raised, the number of members compared to the amount to be raised will give us a basis for action in the matter in the whole sum. 2. The number of members in any district compared with the whole number of members, would give us some basis for the quota of means from that district, and so in carrying out the same matter in dividing up the quota of the district as illustrated in another article. 3. As far as an individual church is concerned the list will show at once who are members and who are not, and to whom you may look as workers in collecting on lists, or in doing any missionary work.
Again, were it proposed to make a united and simultaneous effort, as is often the case, to secure a certain number of trial subscribers to any of our periodicals, it is very easy to ascertain in what proportion per member the said amount could be obtained, &c. These are arguments in favor of keeping an accurate list of members both in the State, district, and librarians' record, which we might add is the only business like way of doing business in any organized society. As children of light, let us be as wise as the children of the world.
J. N. L.
Dare to Stand Alone.
BE firm, be bold, be strong, be true,
And dare to stand alone;
Strive for the right whate'er you do,
Though helpers there are none.
Stand for the right! Humanity
Implores with groans and tears
Thine aid to break the festering links
That bind her toiling years.
Stand for the right! Though falsehood reign
And proud lips coldly sneer,
A poisoned arrow cannot wound
A conscience pure and clear.
Stand for the right! proclaim it round,
Thou'lt find an answering tone
In honest hearts, and thou no more
Be doomed to stand alone!
—Sel.
North Pacific Mission.
By I. D. Van Horn
Our quarterly meeting is in the past. It was a success. The good cause here has been strengthened, and brethren and sisters have been much encouraged. On the Sabbath our new meeting-house was well filled with Sabbath-keepers and their children. At the close of the discourse we called for those wishing baptism to rise up, when five responded. These were voted into the church, and then the call was made for others who wished to join the church who had been baptized to rise up, and five responded to this also. They were voted into the church. One aged sister who could not be with us, sent a letter asking the privilege to be received into the church, which request was granted. We then went to the water, and there, on that beautiful Sabbath day, five were baptized, and the place was made solemn by the presence of the Spirit of the Lord. Thus eleven were added to the church, making our present number seventy-five. There are others, good, substantial persons, keeping the Sabbath who will sooner or later join with us. Those keeping the Sabbath in this valley, counting the members of the church with their children, would number about two hundred.
At our business meeting on Sunday morning union and brotherly love was manifested throughout. At this meeting the church accepted the meeting-house from the hand of the Building Committee, and assumed the debt of eleven hundred dollars, by giving obligations without mortgaging the property. Hardly do we find such union of feeling as was manifest here, under like circumstances. A plan was adopted similar to our Systematic Benevolence, by which the debt and all interest can be paid within two years.
When everything was thus arranged we proceeded to dedicate the house, which was well filled with attentive hearers. The discourse upon the subject of "The True Worship of God" (Text John 4:23, 24), was such as to lead the mind to adore the great Creator in spirit, and respect, and honor his truth. As we gave the house to the Lord at the close of the service we had evidence that he accepted it at our hands. The house is a building 32x46 and 18 feet between the floor and the ceiling, with a tower in front 9x9, projecting half its size outside and a recess in the back end for the pulpit. This recess has two small windows which can be so adjusted as to give plenty of air to the speaker. The cost of the house is $3,000.00, and the Walla Walla Statesman says, "It is the best house of worship in Oregon or Washington Ter., except one, east of the Cascade Mountains."
The organization of a tract society was deferred for the present. All here would rejoice could Bro. and sister White make us a visit after the California camp-meeting and assist in organizing a T. and M. Society.
On returning here to Dayton I find the interest even greater than when I left a week ago. Shall hope to establish a company here of believers in the truth. Pray for us.
I. D. Van Horn.
Dayton, W. T., July 7, 1875.
Christ Became What We Are
JESUS CHRIST, on account of his immense love, became what we are, that he might make us what he is.