Earlier text: THE APOSTLE PAUL AND MANUAL LABORSAVED BY FAMILIES.
By S. M. I. H.
As the time for the camp-meeting approached, the child began to make arrangements to go. Her father, in desperation, told her that he would lock her up before she should go with those people. But the mother, an invalid, interposed. She felt that this would not mend matters, and decided that she would herself go with the child and take care of her. Her husband remonstrated, saying that she was not able; but the mother, sure that she was able to do anything that would save her child from disgrace, insisted that she should go and take care of her, and by this means win her back to her old-time obedience. The father at last consented, stipulating that they should both return on the last Friday morning of the meeting. Delighted at the prospect of her mother's attendance at the meeting, and filled with the hope that she might “see the truth,” the child readily agreed to return at the specified time. I should probably never have known anything about these events but for the fact that on Thursday the girl announced to her mother that she must remain until after Sunday; for she must be baptized. Then there transpired a condition that led one of the brethren to ask me if I would see what I could do for a certain mother and daughter on the grounds, who had consented to come to me for counsel, and abide by the advice given. I, of course consented, and so was brought into the controversy, all unconscious of what was involved in it. The mother came first alone to my tent. Her salutation was after this manner: “You people believe in keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, I understand?” “We do, most certainly,” I said. “Well, then,” she demanded, “how can you take a child out of her home and teach her to disobey her parents while pretending to get her to keep the Sabbath?” “What do you mean?” was my astonished reply. Then the facts, hard and cold as ice, were rained upon me. I “took them with salt,” considering the mother's evident anger, until I had time to investigate. This I did as soon as possible, and found that without question she had the law of God on her side. The opposition that I encountered in prosecuting this investigation was of a nature that constrained me to go to some of our leading brethren with a question that had arisen before me in ugly proportions. “I wish to know,” I said, “if our people are supposed to be warranted in influencing children to disobey their parents for any cause; for if they are, I am not with them.” Asked to explain, I told all I knew of the circumstances, and was fully reassured. “Go ahead, straighten out this tangle, and we will stand by you,” was the comforting word with which I was sent away from the minister's tent. The only thing for me to do was to open up to that mother and daughter those principles that make for righteousness, and to which both parent and child must answer; and I had the satisfaction of seeing confidence expressed in the face of the mother, and conviction in that of the daughter, who arose with a cry of confession, and threw her arms about her mother's neck. At this I slipped out, leaving them alone. I did not see them again together, but later, as I was walking across the camp-ground, the girl came running toward me, and expressed her gratitude to God for the light that had come to her, and said, “Mamma sees everything differently, too. She says that she will stay over Sunday if I wish her to; but I think we had better go home to-morrow, just as papa said, unless we can get his permission to stay.” I had not thought to report this, which happened many months ago, but I find that the case is not an isolated one; that there is need of some utterance against such a perversion of the truth as led to this mischief. For some reason we have a reputation of dividing families, from which we should clear ourselves by letting the light that is in us have an opportunity to shine upon the domestic problem. God has no use for divided families. His plan is to save his people by families; and a child who has been converted to the Sabbath can give no better testimony to its truth than to pay still greater honor to her parents, even if she must live the truth alone and unaided to do so. The world needs to know just what “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” do really mean to us as a people; and we all need to remember that God has so bound himself up in one bundle with the family that no one can touch it anywhere without touching him. I am reminded again that many will feel like quoting Luke 21: 16 and Mark 13: 12 at this point; and so I will again say that division has a necessary part in the gospel plan; for every man must be so separated from every other that he shall stand alone with God. But it is the office of the Word, which is the sword of the Spirit, to make that separation. Division by the Word is the first step toward that quickening which makes the unity of the Spirit possible. It is the beginning of that healing process by which harmony may become possible to a disjointed family life. Division by the word of men is like a blow on flesh and bone, which can only bruise and break. When God divides, it is a clean cut, capable of healing. It is our part to give a good, sound, living testimony to the Word of life, and leave God to perform whatever of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division may be necessary in making up his sum total. The Leading Work of Christ's Followers
“THE followers of Christ have one leading object in view, one great work,— the salvation of their fellow men.” EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.
By S. M. I. H.
A YEAR ago my husband, although a member of the church, had little interest in anything religious. I observed the noontide hour of prayer, as he had ceased to care. The children and myself observed it openly the same as morning and evening worship, and now, although there is not entire consecration to the Lord in all things, yet he is more kind to me, and testifies to God’s goodness, and reads our papers. That note in the REVIEW AND HERALD concerning the keeping of a post-office is good. I can testify that one can keep the Sabbath, and the post-office, too. We are in charge of the post-office in this place. My husband is the postmaster, and I am the assistant. No one bothers us on the Sabbath. In the beginning we said that if we could not manage the post-office and be unmolested on the Sabbath, we would not enter the business at all. All respect us, and we are not bothered in the least. We believe this is one way to let our light shine. The following is quoted from a letter written by a sister in New York:— There are two classes of women I am looking for. I want a woman to do general housework, a strong Christian girl, who can do hygienic cooking, and whom I could trust with the care of baby when I go out,—one who can live out the truth attractively in a neighborhood where I am alone. She would receive good wages. I also want a woman or homeless girl who can sew and assist with baby or light housework, or be generally useful, who would be glad of a good home. Is there not some one who would do this for a home? Of course I would keep her in clothes. If any wish to correspond with this sister concerning these positions, the name and address will be gladly given. Address Office of Woman’s Gospel Work, 271 W. Main St., Battle Creek, Mich. A question is raised in a certain locality by one of our sisters, who had, before she came into the faith with us, been surrounded with all elegance, after the fashion of the world, and had a choice collection of art productions. The question that is raised is concerning the propriety of such things being in the possession of Seventh-day Adventists. In a personal letter she has brought the matter to my notice, asking me to vindicate her position, which is that a love for, and appreciation of, these things is a mark of culture, and should be cultivated. I will not quote from her letter, but from my answer, as I wish to express what I believe to be the only true principle upon which to judge of this question of art, especially the nude, as this is at present, and will become more and more, a live question for our young people especially, to meet. Nothing in the world but sin should horrify anyone who knows the truth of God. A failure on the part of persons to appreciate art should not produce any such sensations or anxieties in us who know that the Lord is soon coming. The need of the hour is not the cultivation of art, but of character, along the lines which will bring us into harmony with the Spirit of God. Since it is revealed to us in the word of God that, when man sinned, God considered that the human body should no longer be publicly exposed, and himself made a covering for it, I believe that we are to keep the body covered, and to frown upon every attempt to bring the details of the human figure to public notice, even in painting or sculpture. Outlines may be used with perfect propriety when they are for the purpose of necessary instruction; but I believe that anything in art that exposes any part of the distinctively sexual portions of the human figure to public gaze, is calculated to cultivate that which is coarse instead of refining. It is the study of nature instead of art,—the study of God in nature,—and the washing and regenerating of the Holy Spirit, that produces genuine refinement. A good many years ago the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union took a position against the nude in art; and we have had reason to do this. In this organization are some of the most cultivated women of the nation,—those who have, in answer to earnest conviction, put away everything from their homes which was of that nature. Some had homes that were richly decorated with that which the world considers the choicest productions of art; but they sacrificed them on the conviction that these were all of the devil of impurity. I believe more and more that this is so. However it might have been in former ages of the world’s history, it is certainly true now that the people of God should take a position squarely against everything of that sort; for we are in a very corrupt age, and the atmosphere is full of vileness. It is like the locust, which can feed upon anything, from bud and blossom in the garden to the posts of the house, or the woodwork of the machinery with which the farm is cultivated. THE SUCCESSFUL CULTIVATION OF DISEASE.
By David Paulson
LAST year four and one-half times as many persons died of tuberculosis as were carried off by scarlet fever, smallpox, diphtheria, and typhoid fever combined. There are to-day one million two hundred thousand cases of tuberculosis in the United States; and about five hundred persons die from this disease in the United States every twenty-four hours. Tuberculosis claims, in this country, one third of all the deaths between the ages of fifteen and sixty. What does that mean? It was not so a few years ago. It is not because the climate has greatly changed; for we have as good a climate as God has given any people. Fifty years ago in Great Britain, in every one hundred and twenty-seven deaths one was due to cancer, and last year, in every twenty-two deaths one was due to cancer. Dr. Williams says that the increase of cancer has exactly kept pace with the increase in the use of meat; and that there is an average of one hundred and thirty-two pounds of meat per capita eaten every year in Great Britain: this is one of the factors that prepare the way for cancer. Dr. Roswell Park, an eminent surgeon in Buffalo, who has the last few years been investigating this subject, says that if cancer were to increase the next ten years as rapidly as it has during the last ten, it would carry away more victims than does tuberculosis. Now in reference to insanity: In the public insane asylums of New York City there are about twenty thousand insane persons, and probably as many more are cared for in private institutions and at home. Such a state of things could not have been found fifty years ago. During this time the number of these cases in proportion to the population has increased three hundred per cent. I am aware that there are many doctors who are anxious to close their eyes to this fact. I am also aware that there are many theologians who do not like to accept such statements as these; for they do not harmonize with their theories. But the true physician of to-day — the man who loves humanity — will not close his eyes to these truths, but will earnestly seek to find out the cause of this state of things. To consider a few of the different ways in which a plant may be killed, will serve to illustrate, in a simple way, the causes of many diseases: one of them is lack of air; another is lack of sunshine. All can recall homes where the parlor window curtains were all pulled down, because the mistress of the house wished to preserve the color of her carpets and upholstered furniture. And as she preserved these, the color left her children’s cheeks in consequence of their being deprived, of the proper amount of light and sunshine; meanwhile, she was trying to save money to purchase medicines, with the idea of putting some iron into the blood of her children. This illustrates a principle. People do not appreciate the fact that there is healing power in sunshine; and that the same power that puts color into the grass paints the hue of health on our cheeks. Again, the plant will not prosper without water: it must have air, sunshine, and water. Sometimes a man will say, “I have given up tobacco, but I do not get well: why do I not get well?” Simply because he goes right on violating other laws of health, eating between meals, etc. There is a passage of Scripture that says that if we are guilty of violating one point of the law, then we are guilty of all. If a plant is deprived of water, it will die all the quicker if you give it sunshine. A person sometimes rides a hobby in following up one thing in health reform. For instance, he takes exercises, and neglects everything else. His exercise only deforms him, because he does not obey the other principles of health. We must induce people to comply with all the simple requirements of human need. Another thing plants need is good soil. If you should scrape up a lot of gravel and put it around a plant, it would not thrive. I am confident that if children knew half as much about what they ought to put into their stomachs as they do about the specific gravity of the Dead Sea, or some other sea, or the height of Pikes Peak, more than one half their diseases would disappear. There is another way of getting disease, which we can not very well illustrate by the plant, and that is by wearing improper clothing — clothing that cramps and pulls the body out of shape. Instead of the clothes being made to fit the body, the body is made to fit the clothes, so that a person grows up in them, like a cucumber in a bottle. The body takes the shape of the dress, and becomes maimed and deformed. There are many factors that contribute to the tearing down of the race, but nine tenths of the causes that produce invalids are among some of these things to which attention has here been directed. It is a sad fact that persons who have brain enough to enable them to build up a colossal fortune and erect grand buildings have ruined their health because they do not know what to eat. These principles ought to be the A B C in every school. In writing a grammar, for instance, in selecting sentences for parsing, instead of such a sentence as, “The day was dark and dreary,” — “day” is the subject, and “was dark and dreary” is the predicate, etc., — take such sentences as, “The children were sick,” — “children” is the subject, and “were sick” is the predicate. “What made them sick?” — “They ate embalmed beef,” etc. Every sentence should teach something in reference to the human body and its needs. The arithmetic ought to be full of such sentences as these: “There are five digestive fluids and five digestive organs, — two times five are ten. And there are five digestive food elements, — three times five are fifteen.” This sort of teaching should be woven into the child’s education until he sees these truths before him, behind him, and on every side. He would not then grow up not knowing the difference between toasted bread and bread that is not toasted. A woman once told me that it had been worth hundreds of dollars to her merely to learn that difference. It certainly is better to let the cook stove do part of the digestive work, and thus save nervous energy for some other work, than to use it all up in the work of digestion. Just as disease is cultivated by the continual violation of these principles of living, so health is cultivated by constant adherence to the same. There are only a few ways of becoming sick, and there are just about as many ways of getting well. People have headache and other troubles; but the cause of these troubles is generally found to be because of corruption in the stomach. SPEECH
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Talk happiness. The world is sad enough
Without your woes. No path is wholly rough;
Look for the places that are smooth and clear,
And speak of those to rest the weary ear
Of earth, so hurt by one continuous strain
Of human discontent and grief and pain. Talk faith. The world is better off without
Your uttered ignorance and morbid doubt.
If you have faith in God, or man, or self,
Say so; if not, push back upon the shelf
Of silence all your thoughts till faith shall come.
No one will grieve because your lips are dumb. Talk health. The dreary, never-changing tale
Of mortal maladies is worn and stale.
You can not charm, nor interest, nor please
By harping on that minor chord, disease.
Say you are well, or all is well with you;
And God shall hear your words, and make them true. AND THEY “WENT AND TOLD JESUS.”
By M. C. Du Bois
Those sorrowing disciples had the privilege of going and telling Jesus about their grief. Blessed privilege! How is it with you? Have you gone and told Jesus all about that trial which is so grievous to bear? Have you taken it to Jesus, and laid it at his feet? We are so prone to hug our sorrows to our bosom: we hate to part with them. We forget to go and tell Jesus, who alone can help us in the dark and trying hour. True, the sympathy of an earthly friend is sweet; yet such have been known to betray trust; but Jesus, never. Whatever we tell Jesus, he never reveals. Then fear not to trust him. In our daily life there are many small perplexities that try us sorely. Tell them to Jesus. Discouraged wife and mother, have you gone and told Jesus all about your discouragements? If not, go at once and tell him. You will find it blessed to go to the Master with every care, every trial; for “Jesus knows how to steal the bitter from life’s woes.” Learn to cast all care upon Jesus. Few learn to do this. We seem afraid to trust our cares with him. We groan beneath our heavy burdens, and fail to accept the blessed invitation to enter into rest. Oh, that we might learn to tell all to Jesus! Then there would come a sweet peace into the aching heart; strength to the weary feet; and the tired arms would grow strong in loving service to others. If each one would tell his temptations to Jesus, instead of to some earthly friend, how much better it would be! “Tell Jesus everything,
To him thy sorrows bring;
He’ll take away thy burden,
And make thy heart to sing.
O blessed trust! O blessed song!
Tell Jesus everything;
No love of sin, no love of wrong,
When all to him we bring.” Hawaiian Islands Sugar Crop Totals 228,807 Tons
Reports of the season’s sugar crop in the Hawaiian Islands give the total product as 228,807 tons. “UNTO WHOMSOEVER MUCH IS GIVEN, OF HIM SHALL BE MUCH REQUIRED.”
By T. E. Bowen
ACCOUNTABILITY attaches to light bestowed. Upon whom God bestows many spiritual blessings, of them he has a right to expect corresponding returns. Most persons are willing to accept the blessings and bounties of heaven. But the difficulty lies in returning to the Giver that true heart-service he has a right to expect. Upon our loved ones in the home we bestow much love and affection, and how quickly we notice any omission in these mutual kindnesses. Our denominational sin lies at this point—a failure to dispense to the world the light given us. In 1896 were published these words: “God has given his messengers the truth to proclaim. Then the churches are to voice the truth from the lips of the messengers, and use their talents in every way possible to make the ministry a power to communicate truth by their catching the first rays of light, and diffusing the same. Here is our great sin. We are years behind.” Again, in a Special Testimony sent to New York in 1886, we find these words: “God will work for us just in accordance with our faith. At the slow rate our people in many States are working, it would take a temporal millennium to warn the world.” Our sin is in being behind,—years behind,—and in going at a slow rate. But a change has come. We have reached a crisis in our missionary work. Activity is taking the place of inactivity. God is setting in operation simple methods by which all may become efficient laborers. “The very simplest modes of work should be devised, and set in operation among the churches.” This is being done. Our Reading Circle work is very simple, and yet, under God, will result in arousing many to “regard their do-nothing position as a sinful neglect to use the talents which God has given them.” The blood of souls will be upon our garments in the awful and fast-approaching day of God if we fail now, just now, in doing our individual and Heaven-appointed personal work for souls. But to engage in this personal work for souls requires heart preparation. Before Isaiah heard the voice of God asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” before he said, “Behold me [margin]; send me,” a holy seraphim had touched his lips with a live coal from off the altar, taking away his iniquity, and purging his sin. Before we can point sinners to Christ, we must know the power of the Christ-life to take away, and keep from, sin. Before we can rescue those who are drifting with the tide, we must be anchored to the throne of God—to the Rock Christ Jesus. Ponder this searching statement: “There is plenty animal machinery [institutions, methods, and even workers of the kind] at work. Christ in truth is advocated, but is not represented; and for this reason the truth is dishonored by the very ones who advocate it.” Three hundred, with Gideon, rescued Israel from the Midianites; Jonathan and his armor-bearer started another deliverance; Daniel, by standing alone for God, caused kings to tremble before the word of the Lord; whole cities were stirred at the presence of one or two Spirit-filled men during the former rain, and it is for such men as these that God is now looking. Shall he look in vain? Let us cease simply advocating truth, and let us represent it, by being it. “Angels who minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, are saying, to every true saint, There is work for you to do. ‘Go, stand and speak . . . to the people all the words of this life.’ If those addressed would obey this injunction, the Lord would prepare the way before them, putting them in possession of means whereby they could go.” Let us study carefully the message of truth by which the world is to be saved, and the field, white for harvest, to which it is to go, and then commit ourselves, as did Isaiah of old, fully to God to be used until the end shall come. “Behold me; send me.” The Schoolmaster's Riddle and the Five-Shilling Coin
“Now,” said an English schoolmaster, as he displayed a bright five-shilling piece between the tips of his finger and thumb, “the first boy or girl that puts a riddle to me which I can not answer will receive this as a gift. Any more?” he asked as soon as silence was restored, and no one had claimed the coin. “Yes, sir,” sang out a little fellow from the farther end of the room. “Why am I like the Prince of Wales?” “The Prince of Wales?” said the master, thoughtfully. “The Prince of Wales?” he repeated to himself. “Really, Johnny, I see no resemblance in you; I’ll give it up.” “Because,” cried the lad, joyfully, “I’m waiting for the crown.” Immigrant Arrivals in New York City, November 1899
DURING the month of November, 1899, 26,460 immigrants arrived in New York City. WE now enter upon the study of a prophetic chapter, which begins at the time in which Daniel lived, and points out the history of the world straight through to the events that immediately precede the coming of Christ. This prophecy leads up to events that are yet unfulfilled, but which the present generation will see come to pass; and it is of the utmost importance that those who perhaps understand the general import of what is here revealed, should study carefully each detail of the prophecy, that their own faith may be strengthened, and that they may help others to hear and believe. A little patient perseverance will enable each one to trace, step by step, each fulfillment of the prophetic word. 1. Review the circumstances under which the prophecy of Daniel 11 was given. 2. To what events in the history of Persia does verse 2 refer? 3. Cite the historical fulfillment of each expression in verse 3. 4. Fix thoroughly in mind the different divisions of Grecia, and their locations with respect to Palestine. Clearly identify the powers called in the prophecy the king of the north and the king of the south. 5. Notice carefully each detail of the prophecy in verses 5-9, and the corresponding history. 6. How did the sons of the king of the north continue the warfare begun by their father? 7. Describe the further conflict between the king of the north and the king of the south, by tracing the history of Antiochus Magnus, of Syria, and Ptolemy Philopater, of Egypt. 1. Review the different circumstances attending the giving and the interpreting of each of Daniel’s prophecies. 2. What portion of this lesson has been revealed in previous prophecies? 3. Give a brief but connected outline of the fulfillment of the prophecy of the lesson. 4. If possible, have a map drawn of the countries mentioned, and locate each division of territory mentioned. MARCH STUDY OF THE FIELD: PART II.
“Historical and Political China.”
(Text-book, March Magazine.) THE lesson for the next two weeks will be upon China, but that is so mighty an empire, and so important a missionary field, that we are sure the members of the Missionary Reading Circle will not regret having spent the time required to master a few of the points brought out in Professor Howell’s article. 1. Whence came the Chinese, as indicated by their own records and recent research? Give some evidences tending to establish an intimate relationship between the Chaldeans and the Chinese. 2. How does Chinese mythology account for the formation of the world? 3. What did the “Napoleon of China” accomplish, and when did he live? 4. When was the golden age of China, and what missionary people did the emperor receive during that period? 5. What is remarkable about the empire of Kublai Khan? 6. Name the dynasties of modern China. Under what four conditions did the Ming dynasty give place to the present Tartar, or Manchu, rulers? COLLEGE VIEW, NEB.
By Mary I. Reeder
WE had the village canvassed to see that all were provided with the material with which to begin work, and most of our people were interested. The town is divided into seven prayer-meeting districts, and it was recommended that members of each district take up the study of the lesson once a week together, at a time most convenient for them. This would more properly be called a district review of the lesson. It was also recommended that there be no afternoon services on Sabbath, and that the time be devoted to the study of the lesson in the home. Each third Sabbath afternoon is to be given to a general review of all the work done, and this will be held at the church. January 13 we had our first general review. We met in divisions the same as in Sabbath-school. Great interest was manifested in all departments. I never saw primary children more intensely interested in any subject. The juniors had not given much thought to the lessons, some hardly knowing what was meant by Berean lessons; nevertheless, they were interested, and doubtless another general review will find them much better prepared. We are much encouraged, and believe that no one thing could be so conducive to good results as the Berean Reading Circle. The study of the field is taken up each Tuesday evening in our missionary society, and the interest is much enhanced thereby. A GENERAL worker writes:— People here are taking hold of the work of the Reading Circle, and there seems to be a good interest. I feel confident that this will be the means of reviving the spiritual interest in our churches everywhere, and when that interest is once revived, the revival of the missionary spirit is inevitable. Life Is a Great Bundle of Little Things
“LIFE is a great bundle of little things.” THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE.
What Is It as to Babylon the Daughters?
So LONG as a person walks in the light of God, loves and accepts the truth of God, however that truth may come to him, so long the presence and the power of God will accompany him, and he will have influence with men. The abiding presence and power of God is the only true source of legitimate power and influence with men. When Jacob knew that he had no strength against Esau, who was coming with four hundred armed men, he earnestly sought God all night, until the break of day; and when the angel exclaimed, “Let me go, for the day breaketh,” Jacob said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” Gen. 32: 26-28. Thus the abiding presence and power of God is the only true source of legitimate power and influence with men. And continuing to walk in advancing light, the receiving of additional truth, is the only true means of having this abiding presence and power of God; because this is the only way of faith: and faith is the only means of God’s dwelling with us, or we with him. Therefore, in the nature of things, whenever advance light or additional truth is rejected, the power and presence of God are lost; and, in this, the true source of legitimate power and influence with men is lost. And whenever this is so, whether in the case of an individual or of a church, this loss is discerned by that individual or church: and then resort is invariably had to inventions of their own, to external and worldly means, to secure power and influence with men. In all the instances in all this course of history, from the apostles’ days until now, whenever a church has refused to walk in the advancing light, has refused to receive additional truth, she has separated from the presence and power of God, and then has invariably resorted to inventions of her own, and to external and worldly means of securing power and influence with men. And since 1840-44 it has been, and is, so with this church in the United States. She rejected the message of God; and so separated herself from the presence and power of God, and thus lost power and influence with men. But power belongs to the church of God. That is settled: it is the power of God. And power she will have: power she must have, or perish. But it is only the power of God that can keep her alive. By any other power, however great it may be, she will surely perish. The power of God, as manifested in the true gospel of Christ, draws men; for it is written: “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” And, in the nature of things, when the church has rejected the drawing power of the everlasting gospel of the crucified Christ, she is compelled to resort to other means of drawing men. And when she resorts to other means to draw men, again, in the nature of things, she draws them not unto Christ, but unto herself: there is a “falling away”; she exalts herself, in the place of God, and draws disciples to herself. Everybody knows that the Protestant churches in the United States have followed this very course. Beginning with strawberry festivals in summer, and oyster suppers in winter, they have passed through the successive stages of “grab-bags,” “fish-ponds,” “kissing bees,” “auction sales,” “ring-cakes,” “crazy suppers,” lotteries, raffles, etc., etc., etc. All this is too notorious to need any sort of proof. And this bad gradation, from the milder to the more intense sort, is all perfectly logical, because when the churches had resorted to such means of drawing the crowd and “influencing the masses,” the milder forms of entertainment soon grew stale. And these having lost their drawing power, other and more novel devices had to be invented. As these, in turn, grew stale and lost their “power to draw,” still others had to be invented. And at last they were brought to their wits’ end for any such resources. But there was one source of power and influence with men that still had not been touched: that was—the state. And true to the logic of the case, and true to the whole course of history, this power of the state was at last not simply invoked, but under threats of political perdition to legislators, and “bull-dozing their congressional representatives,” they actually seized the power of the United States government, and since have boasted that they hold the government of the United States in their hands. And by their own statements and the acknowledgment of the leading statesmen of the nation, the power of the state and the influence of the law are the only power and influence depended upon by the church to control the masses, even of her own membership. And thus these churches have run the whole course, after the example of Babylon the great, the mother; and, by rejecting truth, separating from their Lord, and joining themselves to the kings of the earth, they have made themselves true daughters of “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” Thus the rejection of the first of the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14, resulted in the “falling away” from the truth, and the formation of Babylon the daughters. And, therefore, the second message became due to the world, and must be given: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” And as the first “falling away,” which resulted in Babylon the mother, ended in the formation of “the beast,” so this latter falling away, which results in Babylon the daughters, ends in the formation of “the image of the beast.” And this necessitates the third of the three angels’ messages—the great and mighty Third Angel’s Message—which follows the first two, “saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” Rev. 14: 9, 10. Such is the philosophy, and such the course of the things that are the cause of the Third Angel’s Message being given in the world. And thus we are brought to the time of the Third Angel’s Message, and to the condition of things which demands that that message shall be given. And, therefore, we are brought to the consideration of the Third Angel’s Message itself, as it has to do with “the beast and his image.” Chinese Minister's Advice on Understanding Oriental Customs
In a speech in Philadelphia, February 22, the Chinese Minister to the United States gave some wise and timely advice to Americans who think of trading in China. And this advice is just as wise and timely and good for missionaries as it is for traders. Here it is:— One of the first requisites toward maintaining proper relations with the Orientals, therefore, is to understand their ideas, and to judge them, not by your standard, but by theirs. This is as applicable to commercial and social intercourse as to diplomatic and international affairs. Let me give a common illustration: In China, when a gentleman meets another for the first time, it is usual for both to ask each other's age, and other personal questions. It would be a mistake to regard such conduct as rude and insulting, as would be the case in this country. The asking of such questions shows the interest of the questioner in his new acquaintance, and is done with the best of intentions; therefore, it should be considered no more an insult than an inquiry after one's health. A perfectly innocent act can be easily misinterpreted to be a wrongful act. To do justice to an Oriental, you should not judge his action by what you would naturally think of it, but ascertain his motive for the act, and judge him by his own standard.