Earlier text: The SanctuaryEconomy and Tact.
By Daniel Wise
As THE acquisition of knowledge depends more upon what a man remembers than upon the quantity of his reading, so the acquisition of property depends more upon what is saved than upon what is earned. The largest reservoirs, though fed by abundant and living springs, will fail to supply their owners with water, if secret leaking-places are permitted to drain off their contents. In like manner, though by his skill and energy a man may convert his business into a flowing Pactolus, ever depositing its golden sands in his coffers, yet, through the numerous wastes of unfrugal habits, he may live embarrassed and die poor. Economy is the guardian of property—the good genius whose presence guides the footsteps of every prosperous and successful man. Economy is a trite and forbidding theme. The young man will feel tempted to pass it by, and proceed to the next chapter. But I beseech him to read on, since his social advancement depends, in a good degree, upon his frugality. He had better be doomed, like the sons of ancient Jacob in Egypt, to make bricks without straw, than to enter the scenes of active life without economy for a companion. Study well, therefore, young man, the following picture:— Ralph Montcalm is a merchant's clerk, enjoying a fair salary. His age is about twenty-two; his appearance is genteel, without foppishness; his manners are gentlemanly and polite, without affectation. By strict fidelity to the duties of his station, he has gained a high reputation for industry, energy, and integrity. He is also understood to be worth a few hundred dollars, which he has invested with great caution and judgment, where it will yield him a safe and profitable return. The general impression concerning him, among the merchants in his vicinity, is, that he will one day be a man of some importance in society. A shrewd business man remarked, one day, to his employer: “Your clerk has the elements of a successful merchant.” “Yes, sir; Ralph is destined to wield considerable influence, ‘on change,’ one of these days; and being very economical in his habits, he can hardly fail of becoming a rich man.” Such was the reply of Ralph's master. It showed that the clerk was acting on those principles which, in the estimation of experienced men, insure success. Yet Ralph's conduct found no sympathy from the fashionable disciples of dandyism, who filled situations similar to his own, as will be seen by the following conversations. Ralph was walking home, one evening, from his counting-room, when a fellow-clerk, who was quite an exquisite in his own estimation, overtook him. He was puffing a cigar after the most approved fashion. Stepping up to Ralph, he touched him on the arm and said:— “Good-evening, Mr. Montcalm!” “Good-evening, sir!” replied Ralph to this salutation; a few common-places passed between them, and then the dandy, taking out his case of Havanas, said:— “Will you take a cigar with me, Mr. Montcalm?” “I thank you, sir, but I never smoke!” replied Ralph, with an emphasis which left no room for persuasion. “Never smoke!” exclaimed the astonished dandy, replacing the cigar-case in his pocket. “What on earth can induce you to deny yourself so delicious a luxury?” “It is a luxury that costs too much, sir, for me to indulge in it. I really cannot afford it.” “O, I see,” retorted the smoker, as he puffed forth an enormous column of smoke from his steaming mouth; “you belong to the race of misers, and are set on saving your money, instead of enjoying life as it passes. For my part, I despise all such stinginess, and calculate to enjoy all the pleasure money will buy.” Ralph took no notice of his companion's impolite insinuations, but in a kindly tone answered: “The use of tobacco, in every form, is positively injurious to health and intellect; as a habit, it is filthy, vulgar, and disgusting, to all but those who use it. Besides this, it makes a heavy and constant drain on the purse. I confess, I am too stingy to pay so high a price for a luxury which would shorten my life, fill me with disease, and render me disgusting to others. I would rather save my money for high and noble uses.” This sensible reply was too much for the smoker to endure. He therefore gruffly replied: “You talk more like a Puritan than a gentleman,” and hurried forward, leaving Ralph to his reflections, which were certainly more agreeable than the company of such an empty-brained exquisite. On another occasion, he was thrown into the society of another of these contemptible children of fashion, who, in the course of conversation, inquired: “Where do you board, Mr. Montcalm?” “At Mrs. Brown's, in G—— street.” “Indeed! How can you think of boarding in such an unfashionable street?” “It is my fashion to seek respectability, comfort, cleanliness, and purity, in my home; and all these I have at Mrs. Brown's.” “That may be; but G—— street is such an unfashionable street!—and Mrs. Brown is a poor woman.” “Very true, but still I find genuine comfort, abundant food, and amiable society, at her house; and at a price which I can well afford to pay. What, then, should I gain by going up town to one of our fashionable houses? What do you pay, where do you board?” “I pay rather high, in proportion to my salary, to be sure. My board costs me six dollars a week. But then everything is in style; the boarders are all fashionable young men, and I get into some of the highest society in the city through their influence besides gaining the reputation of being fashionable myself.” “But how do you manage to meet all your expenses? Your salary is only five hundred dollars per annum. You pay over three hundred dollars for board. Your other expenses are in proportion. I do not see how you can ever expect to rise above your clerkship, or even to marry, without saving something for capital; and saving, according to your statements, is out of the question.” “Saving! Don't talk of saving, Mr. Montcalm! I should be very happy to be out of debt. As to business or marriage, I dare not think of either, unless some good-natured merchant should be foolish enough to make me his partner.” “You may well say foolish; for, who but a ‘good-natured fool’ would dream of taking you, or any other slave of fashionable life, into partnership? For myself, I intend both to marry and to enter into business, at a proper time; hence, I cannot afford to be a fashionable young man. It costs too much. I prefer the real comfort of a respectable home, and the gains of frugality, to the ruinous reputation of being ‘a man of fashion.’ I wish you good-morning, sir.” “Good-morning, Mr. Montcalm,” replied the fashionable young gentleman; and they parted, the former to mount the path of honor, the latter to flutter awhile, like a stupid moth, around the lamp of fashion, to burn his wings, and then to crawl in obscurity to an unhonored grave. The reader must view Ralph Montcalm in yet another scene. It is laid in the counting-room of a merchant with whom Ralph had been transacting some business in his employer's behalf. Just before he left, a gentleman entered on an errand of benevolence. A poor family, in very destitute circumstances, needed aid to keep them from starvation. So stated the visitor, and then he asked:— “Gentlemen, what will you give?” “Too poor to give!” one of the clerks abruptly replied. He was well known for his love of driving a la tandem along the city avenues. “It costs me so much to live, I can't give anything!” said another, whose very costly and fashionable attire placed his statement above suspicion. “Havn't a dollar to spare!” bluntly responded a third, who was remarkable for being almost buried under a load of debts. “Put me down two dollars,” said Ralph, in a half whisper, to the collector, as he quietly handed him that amount. “How is it that you can afford to give every one that asks? Your salary is no larger than ours, and yet we can hardly pay our bills. Giving, with us, is out of the question,” said the chief clerk to Ralph. Ralph smiled, and replied: “Gentlemen, the difficulty is easily solved. You live high; I live moderately. You are extravagant; I economize. You wear the costliest clothing, and follow every changing fashion; I dress respectably, and avoid extremes. You spend large sums per annum on cigars, wines, riding, theaters, operas, balls, and costly suppers; I deny myself these indulgences, partly because of their cost, and partly because of their immoral tendencies. My pleasures are intellectual; they afford me higher and purer enjoyment than yours, and cost much less. Hence, while you are poor, I have money invested, and something to spare to alleviate the sorrows of others. Good morning, gentlemen.” Such is the example of economy which I desire to urge upon you, young man, for your imitation. Not a miserly meanness, which denies itself the common comforts of life, and shuts itself within walls of triple steel against the appeals of benevolence; but such a manly, generous habit of expending your resources as will tend to improve your condition, without debasing your nature,—to make you a man of property, without sinking you to the sordid level of a miser. The principles which make such admirable economists as young Ralph Montcalm, are:— 1. Always let your expenditure be less than your income. This is the grand element of success in acquiring property. To carry it out requires resolution, self-denial, and self-reliance. But it must be done, or you must be a poor man all through life. If, for example, your income is six dollars a week, you must live on five, or four, if you can with decency. But, further:— 2. Little expenses must be carefully guarded against. I once saw a full-grown caterpillar borne along the garden path by an army of tiny ants, which had made him their captive; at another time I saw an insect, somewhat resembling a dragon-fly, bearing off a caterpillar by his own unaided strength. In both cases the victim perished; and it made little difference whether he was in the hands of a single dragon-fly, or of an army of ants. Thus many little expenses are as fatal to a young man's prosperity as a great speculation which ruins at a single blow. The former will as surely bear him to the grave of poverty as the latter. Hence, the pence so foolishly spent on cigars, confectionary, fruit, ice-creams, soda-water, etc., must be retained in the purse of the young man who intends to take rank in respectable society. If they escape, they will, in spite of all his resistance, be like the ant-army, and will bear him to a pauper's grave. Deny thyself, in little as in great things, is a necessary condition of prosperity. 3. Avoid the habit of getting into debt. Attention to the above maxims will make the observance of this one easy. Still there is, to some minds, such a fascination in the act of buying on credit, that they do it even when they have cash in their pockets. You must avoid this practice! Pay for what you purchase, at least until you begin business; and then buy very cautiously, and you will rarely buy what you do not need. To be in debt is to be enslaved; it is a prolific source of care; an occasion of temptation to extravagance; it often leads to falsehood, dishonesty, gambling, and destruction. Debt destroys more than the cholera. Therefore, young man, avoid debt! 4. Avoid littleness. You saw Ralph Montcalm ready to give to the poor. You must do the same, if not from pure benevolence of feeling, at least out of regard for yourself. Strict economy may lapse into sordid covetousness, and make the frugal man contemptibly mean. I have been told of a wealthy farmer, a professor of religion, who invited a student, just licensed to preach, to stay at his house during a series of religious meetings he was conducting in the neighborhood. When the young preacher was about to leave, the farmer accompanied him to the gate, expressing great pleasure for his visit and labors. Just before they parted, he said, “Mr. ——, I should like to make you a small present.” “I thank you, sir,” said the young student, bowing acquiescence to the welcome suggestion. The farmer then took a twenty-five cent coin from his pocket and said: “This is the smallest change I have. If the twelve and a half cents in change, you may keep the rest!” “I have no silver about me,” replied the student as he leaped on to his horse, scarcely able to conceal the combined emotions of indignation and merriment which struggled within him for expression. If this fact had not been related in my hearing by the aforesaid student, I could hardly have believed that any man could have acted with such contemptible littleness as that farmer; yet such is the meanness of spirit which will grow upon the man whose economy is not joined to some form of benevolent action. Therefore, I repeat the injunction,—avoid littleness, by carefully cultivating a genrous, philanthropic spirit amidst all your plans of frugality. There is another element of success which is worthy of a few thoughts. I mean tact, or versatility—a power of self-adaptation to every new opening of Providence. A man of tact immediately fills a new position with naturalness, and however he himself may feel its embarrassments, he forces the impression upon others that he is just the man for the place. On the other hand, without tact, a man is impracticable. Change his sphere and he acts stiffly, awkwardly; he is like a stiff-jointed country recruit at his first drill; so uncouth are his movements that lookers-on exclaim, “He will never do!” Hence his friends lose their interest in his advancement. They fear to advance him, lest his clownishness should mortify their pride. He is left to pine in the obscurity of a lowly position. But tact is the gift of nature! Yes! to some extent it is so. Versatility is easier to some than to others. That is, it requires less effort in some than in others, to adapt themselves to new relations to society. But even the versatility of the proudest sons of genius is the off-spring of self-culture. The man who shines in an exalted position, who appears in it at such perfect ease that one might infer he was born to fill it, has gained the confidence which inspires him with ease by previous self-cultivation. A man who is true to himself is always in advance of his actual position; hence, when called to higher posts, he moves into them and fills them with propriety and dignity. This is tact. And the mental training which creates tact is within the reach of every young man. But what has religion to do with these elements of success in life? It might as properly be asked, what has an anchor to do with the safety of a ship? For, as the latter is held at a secure distance from the shore, notwithstanding the driving gale, so is a young man bound to the practice of economy and the cultivation of tact by the authoritative claims of a religion. Pride, sensuality, and custom, are like strong winds beating life's young voyager upon the rocks of prodigality, or the quicksands of extravagance. Religion anchors him fast by her strong principles. She exacts diligence, industry, and honesty by her precepts; she pictures the desolation of the spendthrift by her inimitable drawing of the prodigal son; she checks waste by teaching the doctrine of accountability to God for all we possess; thundering in every ear her call of “Give an account of thy stewardship!” Concerning the duty of fitting one's self to fill his station with honor, the precept of Paul to Timothy is apposite: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed;” and again, “Give thyself wholly” to the duties of thy vocation, “that thy profiting may appear to all.” This exhortation, self-applied by every young man, would constitute him, in a greater or less degree, a man of tact. Thus does religion in the soul give vigor and fruitfulness to every element of prosperity in human character. Viewed in all its aspects, it justifies the beautiful figure of the good man in the song of the royal psalmist: “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”—Daniel Wise, in Young Man's Counsellor. FOR pleasure or pain, for weal or for woe—
'Tis the law of our being—we reap what we sow.
We may try to avoid them—may do what we will—
But our acts, like our shadows, will follow us still. The world is a wonderful chemist, most sure,
And detects in a moment the base or the pure.
We may boast of our claim to genius or birth,
But the world takes a man for just what he's worth. We start in the race for fortune or fame,
And then, when we fall, the world bears the blame;
But nine times in ten, it is plain to be seen,
There's a "screw somewhere loose" in the human machine. Are you wearied and worn in this hard, earthly strife?
Do you yearn for affection to sweeten your life?
Remember, this great truth has often been proved;
We must make ourselves loveable, would we be loved. Though life may appear as a desolate track,
Yet the bread that we cast on the waters comes back.
This law was enacted by Heaven above,
That like attracts like, and love begets love. We make ourselves heroes and martyrs for gold,
Till health becomes broken, and youth becomes old;
Ah! did we the same for a beautiful love,
Our lives might be music for angels above! We reap what we sow. Oh! wonderful truth!—
A truth hard to learn in the days of our youth.
But it shines out at last, "as the hand on the wall,"
For the world has its "debit" and "credit" for all. DISCOURAGEMENT is not the soil most favorable for the growth of excellence. If you would like to see your pastor abler, freer, more whole-souled and cheery, stand by him. Make him feel the stimulus of a warm friendship. It will put him upon his best for progress. Children hunger perpetually for new ideas. They will learn with pleasure from the lips of parents what they deem drudgery to study in books; and even if they have the misfortune to be deprived of many educational advantages, they will grow up intelligent people. We sometimes see parents who are the life of every company which they enter, dull, silent and uninteresting at home among their children. If they have not mental activity and mental stores sufficient for both, let them first use what they have for their own households. A silent home is a dull place for young people—a place from which they will escape if they can. How much useful information, and what unconscious but excellent mental training, in lively social argument. Cultivate to the utmost the art of conversation at home. Good Health.
By Raymond F. Cottrell
If I understand aright the principles of the true, hygienic system, the natural laws which God has established in the living being are all that we have to rely on for health, or for recovery from sickness or disease. The treatment which is recommended can do nothing more for the patient than to place him in the most favorable circumstances for nature to work unobstructed. But people have become so accustomed to depend on foreign, or outside agencies for recovery from disease, that it is very difficult to get the idea entirely eradicated from the mind. The eagerness with which people have been wont to seek for something to swallow in case of sickness, and the consternation manifested when one is terribly sick and has "nothing to take," would be truly amusing but that it is too serious a subject to be treated with levity. And many who have adopted hygienic treatment, instead of drug medication, are slow to drop the idea, so long entertained, of doing that by treatment which nature alone can do. Eager to get rid of some chronic disorder in haste, they constantly have the mind occupied with it, and ply the proper treatment to excess, as if abundance of treatment would hasten a cure. It is treatment, treatment, treatment, instead of waiting with patience for nature to do the work, after we have, as far as we are able, supplied the proper conditions. This, as I view it, is almost as great an error as to think that drugs can do nature's work. It would be much better, after a moderate amount of hygienic treatment, to quietly wait and trust in God and the natural laws which he has established. Be easy when you have done the best you can. This is much better than to trust in treatment, even of a proper kind, when administered without due moderation. - R. F. Cottrell. We have now closed our labors in Clarksfield. We have not seen all accomplished here that we desired, but our labors have not been without fruit. Through the influence of our meetings here, I think that not less than eighteen persons have commenced the observance of the Lord’s holy Sabbath. Time may develop more fruit. About $15.00 worth of books have been sold, and several subscribers obtained for our periodicals. Oakland, Illinois.
By R. F. Andrews
I HELD meetings at this place from Oct. 24 to Nov. 3. The brethren have just completed a very neat church edifice, 26x38 feet, and have it paid for. It was well filled at the time of the dedication, Sunday, Oct. 26. During these meetings five gave their hearts to the Lord, and were baptized. One brother who was on the background started anew in the Lord's service. All seemed much encouraged. May the tender Shepherd ever guard the little flock at Oakland, and help them to obey Heb. 12:14, 15. Watrousville, Mich.
By R. J. Lawrence
FROM the 13th to the 19th, I held meetings in Watrousville. Nine were baptized, and six young men and women were added to the church. These meetings were a source of great encouragement to the church. Cedar Lake, Mich.
By Orlando Soule
Oct. 6 to 21 I was at Cedar Lake. The blessing of God attended the effort here. Eight were added to the church by baptism, and several others began to observe the Sabbath. Three promised to use no more tobacco. I obtained four subscribers for the Review, and sold $2.50 worth of books. Boulder, Colorado.
By A. O. Burrill
My labor in this State in connection with Brn. Corliss and Cornell closed with our effort at Ft. Collins. We have labored together harmoniously, and, I trust, profitably. This mission has only been opened about a year, but it now numbers fully one hundred Sabbath-keepers. It has two organized churches, two companies, four Sabbath-schools, a live tract society, and s. b. sufficient to make the cause self-sustaining from this time. Several are making preparations to join Bro. Corliss in the work. It will not be long before Colorado will be numbered with our State Conferences. In Denver about $40 worth of books were sold, and in other places, in about four weeks, $50 worth were disposed of. Grant City, Indiana.
By J. M. REES
On my return from the Rochester (Ind.) camp-meeting I held a few more very interesting meetings here. Two were baptized, and a Sabbath-school was organized. About twenty are keeping the Sabbath. Bro. Covert joined me, and replied to three discourses on the Sabbath by a Disciple minister. The truth gained the victory; to God be all the praise. I think a church may be organized here. Calls for help come in from almost all directions. Truly the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. A FEW years ago this article was quite a rarity except in a few well-regulated households. Now it is to be found in every baker's shop in any large city. It is no longer laughed at and slandered by such terms as "bran bread," "horse feed," etc. It has received the unanimous indorsement of all scientific men. Every intelligent physician in the land acknowledges its superiority. The name of Dr. Graham is no longer a term of reproach, but has become so generally a household word that it has almost come to be a common noun. The chief object of this paragraph is to call attention to the fact that everything which passes for graham bread is not a proper representative of this paragon food. Dishonest millers and bakers combine to make both graham flour and graham bread as widely different from what the genuine article should be as can well be imagined. The miller saves for graham the very poorest of his wheat, which will not make good fine flour. Anything will do for graham! Much of the graham flour (so-called) in large cities is simply a mixture of poor white flour and bran. The baker does the same thing, using for graham bread his second-class flour mixed with bran or shorts. It is no wonder that some people are disappointed in the results when they attempt to use graham flour for the first time. Graham flour and bread should always be purchased of honest millers and bakers.—Health Reformer. IN an able article on kitchen management in France, the Boston Journal of Chemistry gives some interesting facts with reference to the diet of the French peasantry. It states that "dark bread made from whole wheat and barley, is the only kind used." "Scarcely any butter or cheese find their way to the tables of the poorer classes." "A large piece of meat is rarely seen upon the tables of even the richer classes in France; the portion is usually small, and the meal is supplemented with a fair allowance of soup, bread, and vegetables. This management does not lessen the attractiveness of meals, nor indicate unpleasant parsimony." "They have learned that the sweetest and most nutritious bread is made from wheat, barley, and rye, ground finely, but unbolted. Their bread is dark, but of excellent quality." "The average earnings of laborers in France do not exceed thirty cents a day, and yet from this pittance they continue to live comfortably. The average of health in the population is much higher than in most countries, and the average length of life is as high as thirty-eight years." Bright's Disease and Ice Water.
A BALTIMORE druggist of experience and ample opportunity for observation, has advanced the idea that Bright's disease is attributable to the immoderate use of ice water and cold drinks. He cites the fact that the people of this country use ninety per cent. more ice in their drinks than the people of any other country, Greenlanders not excepted. We have seventy-five per cent. more of Bright's disease. He cites the fact that wine drinking countries of Europe are comparatively free from the malady. Travelers have observed and commented upon the prejudice which seems to exist against ice-water and iced drinks in all countries outside of the United States. The Englishman and the German fairly shun ice, though placed in easy reach of boundless quantities of it, and the Frenchman who sips the light wine would as soon think of taking an emetic as of chilling his stomach with an iced draft. Our drug friend points to the fact that Bright's disease has kept pace in this country with the increased consumption of ice, and claims that before ice became a common household necessity the malady was scarcely known among physicians. There may be something in this theory.—Baltimore Gazette. —All the members of the Italian cabinet have sent their resignations to the king. —Four-fifths of the town of Farmington, Minn., was destroyed by fire on the night of Nov. 22. —A Parisian speculator named Philipart, recently absconded, leaving his creditors minus $1,237,600. —Five or six hundred men are now employed on the New York approaches to the East River Bridge. —The snow is so deep in the Colorado canyons that it would be difficult to move troops now if it were desired. —The sugar trade in France is seriously affected by the failure of the beet crop. Many refineries have closed, and all are expected to close. —The Shenandoah, formerly a Confederate cruiser, sank in the Indian Ocean; most of the crew were lost. She belonged to the Sultan of Zanzibar. —The loss to the government in the amount of money received by postmasters throughout the country the past two years will be less than one-twentieth of one per cent. —The rebellion against Chinese rule in Kashgar, which has been in progress, is like to collapse for want of Russian aid, which has been withheld since the treaty of Kuldja. —A report from Augusta, Ga., Nov. 19, says: There was to-day the heaviest fall of snow in years. It snowed for over three hours steadily. It seemed to be general in this section. —By a kerosene explosion in Kieff, as reported in the Russian Courier, 18 persons were burned to death, and others so burned, that it was not expected they could recover. —Chief Ouray says that he can prove that the Mormons incited the Indians to commit outrages upon the soldiers and the agency, and supplied them with arms and ammunition. —Cuban Senators and members of the Chamber of Deputies have resolved to support the bill for the abolition of slavery in Cuba in the form in which it was proposed by the Government. —Arrests are made in Ireland for incendiary speaking. Kearney has expressed a desire to be a martyr—he may find a chance if he will return home. But he would be peaceable if he were there. —Since the breaking out of the cholera in Japan, in April last, there have been 155,000 cases and 85,000 deaths. Yet there is so great an amount of exciting news from the nations that this has scarcely been noted. —A heavy storm of wind and snow visited the whole lake region and the east, Nov. 19, 20. Perhaps there never was a storm on the lakes in which there were so many disasters. The snow storm was severe in Central New York, and elsewhere. —A despatch from Berlin says that Russia has advised Turkey to ask all the signatories to the Treaty of 1856 to despatch squadrons to the Dardanelles, in case the English fleet enters the Straits. The whole of the St. Petersburg press is violent in its tone on the question. —Spinning mills at Kirkealdy, Scotland, have begun work on full time, having been operating on the short time system for nearly two years. The linen trade has also improved so much that all the power loom manufacturers are now in full motion, which has not been the case for three years. —New York, Nov. 19, the Clearing House exchanges for the week tell the same old story of marvelous business activity everywhere throughout the country, except at San Francisco. No other city shows a decrease. San Francisco's transactions for the week were under $12,000,000, while for the same time last year they were over $18,250,000. —The tug Seymour, of Ogdensburg, left Cape Vincent Nov. 18 with four tugs, three dredges and eight scows in tow for Buffalo. During the night a gale on Lake Ontario was encountered, and three tugs and all of the small dredges and scows were lost. One tug was picked up to-day, and the Seymour arrived at Sackett's Harbor. Of the crews only six persons were saved. Twenty were lost. —About five months ago an explosion occurred in a tunnel which is being made through the Coast Range, between Santa Clara and Santa Cruz, Cal., for the Narrow Guage R. R. At that time the engine house, shop, and cars outside were demolished. Recently the tunnel has leaked petroleum from the roof, so as to be dangerous, and air-pipes have been worked to prevent explosion. But a most terrific double explosion took place the morning of Nov. 19, by which about thirty men, mostly Chinese, were killed. After the first, some excited Chinamen rushed in with torches, causing a second, still more terrible. The following is taken from the Alta's description of the second explosion:—The explosion was preceded by a rush of air from the tunnel, which gave the majority of those near the mouth time to step one side, so that none were exactly in front. Quicker than it can be told, a volume of lurid flame, the full size of the tunnel, shot out, expanding as it issued for upward of a hundred yards. This was accompanied by a crash and the splintering of the engine-house, which stood about fifty feet from the mouth of the tunnel, on the left of the track, and the utter demolition of the blacksmith shop, which stood on the right of the track, over a hundred feet from the tunnel. Religious News and Notes.
By Editor
—There are twenty-one vacant Congregational churches in the State of Connecticut. —Joseph Cook has commenced his winter Boston Course of Lectures in the Old South church. —Five Baptist missionaries sailed from San Francisco, Nov. 15; two of them to China and three to Japan. —A minister of the English church of St. Albans, at Holburn, has been suspended for three years for Ritualistic practices. —A converted Chinaman of San Francisco, gave Dr. S. R. Brown $500 just as he was about to leave for missionary work in China. Pretty good evidence that he was converted. —The pilgrimage to Mecca, which has hitherto been provisioned at government expense, can get no assistance, a thing which has never before happened in the history of Ottoman rule. —The Second Baptist Church of St. Louis, which was disfellowshiped from the St. Louis Association for irregular preceedings, has been received by the General Baptist Association upon making explanations. —The following from the Christian at Work is very brief, but very suggestive: “The Alliance: ‘Moses will not be our lawgiver.’ Which of the commandments do you propose breaking—or is it all of them? Particulars, please!” —An English Wesleyan, replying to a suggestion that the Wesleyans unite with the Established Church, says “the younger clergy in the Church of England may now be divided into two classes, the priestlings and the semiskeptics.” —A religious note in the Evangel says: “A penny a week from each of the 113,367 Baptists of New York State would amount to the sum of $58,948.24 in a year. This is more than double what the Baptists of that State gave last year for Home Missions.” Rather barren. —The Berlin Society for the promotion of Christianity among the Jews, estimates the total number of the Hebrew race at the present time to be just about what it was in the days of King David—between six and seven millions. Of these, from one to one and a half millions are in America. —Fifty years ago, Kotha-byu, the first convert among the Karens, was baptized in Burmah. His wife was present at the fiftieth anniversary of his baptism, which was celebrated by the dedication of a large memorial hall for public worship. She was the first Karen women who was baptized, and the mission has now 438 churches and nearly 20,000 members. —Lepere, French ex-Minister of the Interior, has issued a circular to the Prefects, calling their attention to the omission of priests to pray for the safety of the Republic. He wishes to be informed whether the omission is prompted by the Bishops. He also desires to be informed whenever a Bishop leaves his diocese without authorization, and more particularly if he visits Rome. —Portugal has hitherto been considered one of the most intensely Catholic countries, but since January last a decree of the king provides for the civil registration of Protestants, and conferring upon all such as shall register all civil rights. On all occasions of outbreaks against Protestant missionaries since that time, it is said the police have never failed to give them help when needed. —The death of Matthew Hale Smith is announced. He commenced his ministry with the Universalists. Left them and wrote a book, “Universalism Refuted and Exposed.” Next he preached for the Presbyterians, then was pastor of a Reformed Dutch church; preached also for the Congregationalists, but since 1861 belonged to the Baptists. He was known as a writer over the signature of Burleigh. —The Cincinnati Commercial thinks that not over $75,000 have been collected toward defraying Bishop Purcell's debts. The chapels, parsonages, &c., built with this borrowed money all stand in the name of the Bishop; why not recover the money from them? It looks like a conspiracy to defraud the depositors in the interest of “the church,” especially, as the Bishop has the confidence and sympathy of all its dignitaries. —One of the Christian Advocates does not like the announcement in the papers of the election of an “Episcopal” bishop, without stating of which Episcopal church. To which the Independent says it “shall continue, with the other papers, to curtail for convenience the names of the denominations, choosing the name ‘Methodist’ for the one that is not very episcopal, and the name ‘Episcopal’ for the one that is not very Protestant. DIED, in Salem, Oregon, Oct. 30, 1879, of typhoid pneumonia, aged about 17 years, Matilda C. Stephens, wife of Bro. Radway Stephens, daughter of James F. and Margaret Chitwood, of Damascus, Or. At the age of 15 she embraced the Christian religion and united with the Baptist church, from which she was excluded for keeping holy the Sabbath of the Lord. She became convinced on the Sabbath at the S. D. A. camp-meeting in 1878, and was one of the first to unite with the church when one was organized in Damascus. She lived a consistent member, and died in the blessed hope of immortality. F. Wages in California.
By Editor
SOME time since we published a newspaper item, saying that labor is well rewarded in California, for which a correspondent severely took us to task. We had then no means for fully verifying the statement, but now we have. The daily Alta of Nov. 20 contains an article on this subject. From it we take the following table and remarks. The places indicated are Germany, Brussels, England, New York, and San Francisco:— This is per week. The farmers and housemaids are boarded; the others board themselves. "These are astounding figures, but we have no reason to doubt their accuracy. The authorities from which we derive our information are the best, or at least have not been questioned publicly. While the mechanic gets 50 per cent. more in San Francisco than in New York, 150 per cent. more in England, 250 per cent. more in Brussels and 400 per cent. more in Germany, he can get his flour, mutton, beef, potatoes, cheese, sugar, coffee and tea, cheaper than in any of the other places mentioned. The prices of such articles are less here than in New York, where, according to Porter, they are on the average more than 25 per cent. cheaper than in Brussels. Thus a pound each of average bread, beef, veal, mutton, pork, lard, butter, cheese, coffee and sugar, costs $2.06 in Brussels and $1.43 in New York; while here the price would not exceed $1.30. "The Chinamen in California receive about $5 a week, so that their labor cannot be considered cheap as compared with farm labor in the Atlantic States, much less in Europe. "Besides the higher wages, the laborer in San Francisco has the advantage of living in a climate which is never too cold, and not more than a dozen days in a year too warm for comfort while working out in the open air. We have neither ice nor snow, and, consequently, building and street work are not interrupted, and we have none of that intense cold which causes a large part of the suffering among the very poor. On the other hand, there is a larger proportion of unemployed labor here than in the Atlantic States or Europe, business generally is more depressed, and the future is uncertain because of a foolish Communistic agitation, which, though undertaken under the pretence of aiding the laboring men, is really depriving them of employment and reducing their wages. In a country where the wages are high, and where the experience of the past and all the reasonable expectations of the future indicate a decrease in the rate of wages, even of a very slow one, the worst course the laboring men can pursue is to threaten and alarm capital." If Kearney wishes to agitate effectively let him go to Ireland, where his country-men are starving by reason of oppression. He knows he can threaten to burn and murder with more safety in San Francisco than in Dublin or Cork.