Earlier text: GOD'S OBJECT LESSONS. NO. 8.A QUESTION ON IMMORTALITY.
By C. P. B.
WE are asked by a correspondent to explain what is meant by the expression "the pagan dogma that the soul or spirit is immortal," which appeared in these columns some weeks since. The meaning of the expression is simply that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul is not taught in the Scriptures but is of heathen origin. In proof of this statement we will give two or three brief quotations from historians. Herodotus testifies (Euterpe II. 123, p. 144) that the Egyptians were the first who asserted the doctrine that the soul of man is immortal, and later the Greeks adopted the same opinion. But it is to Plato, who was born 428 B. C., that the Christian world owes the doctrine as it is now held and taught. Concerning this, Dr Knapp ("Christian Theology," pp. 521 and 522) says: "In the varied web of proof [of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul] in our modern philosophical schools the chief threads, and, as it were, the entire material, are of Grecian origin." "The followers of Socrates, however, did the most for this doctrine, and especially Plato." Enfield in his "History of Philosophy," p. 115, says: "Even to the present day, Plato has many followers. His writings still give a tincture to the speculation and nature of philosophy and theology." That this doctrine is not taught in the Bible is virtually acknowledged in the quotation from Dr. Knapp, and anyone who will make a candid examination of the question in the light of the Scriptures, must make the same acknowledgment. We have said that the doctrine was of pagan origin; perhaps it would be better to say of Satanic origin, for it was first taught by the serpent when he tempted our first parents. God had said of the forbidden fruit: "In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die," and Satan said unto the woman, "Ye shall not surely die," but "ye shall be as gods." And this is substantially what is taught to-day. We are told that the soul, the most important part of man, is naturally immortal and cannot die, that that which appears to be death is simply transition. But such is not the teaching of the Scriptures. In Ps. 6:5 we read: "For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" and again in Ps. 146:3, 4 we have this testimony: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Similar language is also used in Eccl. 9:5, 6. The Preacher says: "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." And with these texts agree the New Testament. Says the apostle (1 Cor. 15:16-18): "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." This is a most explicit testimony that a future existence is absolutely dependent upon a resurrection from the dead. It is impossible to understand it in any other way, and it shows conclusively that the apostle Paul did not believe in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. In speaking of this, we have said "natural immortality," for we believe in immortality, that is, that life and immortality are brought to light by Christ through the gospel, as declared in 2 Tim. 1:10. But Christ did not bring this life and immortality to light by showing that man already has immortality, but by demonstrating the truth of the resurrection of the dead, and by promising a resurrection unto eternal life to those who believe on him. Says the apostle: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 2 Thess. 4:16, 17. And we believe that in no other way can any person ever be with the Lord. All who are ever with the Lord must be there either by translation or by resurrection. Such is the testimony of the Scriptures. C. P. B. TEMPERANCE, FORSOOTH!
By Editor
REFERRING to the matter of closing saloons on Sunday, the Denver, Colo., News says:— “The business on that day is exceedingly offensive to a large majority of the people of Denver, a fact that has been demonstrated very conclusively.” Then are we to understand that it is not offensive to the large majority on other days? “The Sunday liquor traffic is a monstrous injustice to the community. It entails pinching want on hundreds of families in Denver.” Does it not have the same effect on other days? There is many times the amount of poor men's wages spent in saloons on Saturday night that there is on Sunday. Wherein is “Sunday liquor” any worse than other liquor? Do they have a particularly bad kind for Sunday, and something that is not so “exceedingly offensive” on other days? “Occasionally the Sunday saloon has to be credited with a murder, like that of a week ago.” Only “occasionally”? Why, such things occur quite frequently on other days of the week. How is it, then, that it can only be said of Sunday that “the crime that is infused into society because of the liquor traffic on that day, to be developed in future festering forms, cannot be computed”? Alas for the so-called temperance element in this country! When it stands ready to remove the odium of the liquor traffic on six days of the week as a sacrifice upon the altar of the pagan Sunday, then it is time to take in the “temperance” sign and sail the Sunday flag pure and simple. If temperance principles have no longer any practical utility only as a stepping-stone to Sunday adoration, then their usefulness has ceased. The Sabbath-School.
By J. W. Scoles
Notes on the International Lesson.
WITH the beginning of the present quarter the lessons change from the New to the Old Testament, and are principally confined to the two books of Samuel. In order to more fully comprehend the subjects which will be presented for our consideration, it will be well for us to briefly notice the condition at this time of the children of Israel, with whom our lessons deal more particularly. It would seem that from the time of Joshua there had been a general decline toward idolatry upon the part of the people. Under the rule of some of the judges, there were periods during which there was a partial recovery of the pure principles of godliness, but upon the whole the spiritual, as well as the national, life of Israel was in a very low condition. Gross immoralities prevailed even in the very ranks of the priesthood, while covetousness and lust were common sins among the people. As they were deficient in war-like skill, the people were gradually being brought into subjection to the fierce tribes that surrounded them. BUT, as we have frequently found in looking into God's dealings with his people in the past, in times of greatest apparent darkness the Lord has instrumentalities by which to save his people. So it was in this case. Right at the point where national extinction seemed to threaten the people of God because of their having departed from the pure worship of Jehovah, Samuel was raised up to act as a special instrument in the hands of God for laying better foundations upon which the nation should rest, and to introduce such order as should insure a perpetuation of its Government. THE expression, "no open vision," does not mean that the people did not have a knowledge of the will and word of God, but rather has reference to the direct work and ministration of living prophets. Occasionally people obtain the impression from some source or other that the entire Old Testament dispensation was characterized by a continuous chain of prophets who had direct communication with God, while the New Testament dispensation was to be entirely void of such evidences. A careful study of the word of God, however, will readily convince us of the mistakes of such a theory as this. There were several instances in the history of the Jewish people, when they were left without any such means of communication with God, and for a period of nearly four hundred years previous to the first coming of Christ, living prophets were unknown among the people. This was not because they did not need this means of instruction, but because they had, as in the present case, departed so far from the Lord that he could no longer bestow such signal blessings upon them as to communicate directly with them by means of the living testimony. IN regard to the manifestation of such spiritual gifts in the New Testament, we find that the opening of this dispensation was characterized by the most wonderful outpouring of the Spirit of God that had ever been witnessed up to that time. Not only so, but we find that the promise of similar blessings was as much a part of the commission as was the command to preach the gospel. Mark 16: 15-18. In harmony with this, we find the wonderful manifestations which were witnessed on the day of Pentecost were explained by Peter to be a part of the promise which should reach as far as the gospel itself. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2: 38, 39. Numbers of instances of the direct work of the Spirit of God in this direction are given throughout the New Testament. And the sacred record closes without a single intimation that such gifts as these should ever cease to be the property of God's people. God himself placed these things in the church (1 Cor. 12: 28), and we are instructed to covet earnestly the best gifts. Verse 31. Surely if God's people needed his special watchcare and direct interposition in their behalf in the past, then the church needs these things to-day, in her battle with the combined forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. In this degenerate age, when iniquity abounds, and when the love of so many is waxing cold, surely such things as these are needed if they ever were, and we can but believe, from the direct testimony of the Scriptures, that as great a measure of God's Spirit as characterized his work in the past might be ours to-day were we standing in the purity and simplicity of the faith of the primitive church. It is also hinted by more than one of the New Testament writers, but especially so by the apostle James, that the last days, those just preceding the second coming of Christ, are to witness, in a large measure, at least, the outpouring in a special manner of God's Spirit once more upon the hearts of his accepted children, in the form of the latter rain. James 5: 7, 8, 13-15. If such blessings are for God's people, may he strengthen our faith until we are ready to believe and receive them. No matter from what source the message comes, when God calls we should always be ready to hear. It is not our part nor our place to question God's instrumentalities. When we become fully satisfied that God calls us, there should be upon our part the same willingness to answer that there was with Samuel. If we walk in the counsel of God, we must continually hold our sympathies at the disposal of truth wherever we find it, and it should ever be the province of the child of God to answer, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." BECAUSE Samuel was a child granted to his mother on account of special supplication, she declared that he should be lent to the Lord as long as he lived. The margin, instead of reading "lent to the Lord," says, "shall be returned to the Lord." How true it is that everything which we possess, whether friends, life, home, or health, comes from God. And when we do "lend to the Lord" we are simply returning what he has given to us. God has the first claim upon us. Our time, our talents, our all, comes originally from him. Shall we not, then, consecrate to the Lord, with a full and willing heart, the things which he has so freely given to us? And let us remember, also, that the best of all these gifts of God was his own Son, the dear Redeemer, whose blood alone can cleanse us from sin. IF Christian parents would consecrate their children to the Lord from birth, and would continually endeavor to realize that they are God's, and would take the same interest in them, and exercise the same watchfulness over them, as though God had personally intrusted them to their care, how much better it would be for both parents and children. Thousands of homes are being wrecked and made wretched to-day by the disobedience of children to parents. Nor are the children altogether responsible for this state of affairs. It is as much a part of the parent to require obedience as it is the place of the child to render it. "Honor thy father and thy mother" can be and is being violated in scores of instances to-day by parents as much as by children. GOD always prepares his instruments for the performance of his own work. While the children of Israel wandered farther and farther away from him, given up to the imaginations of their own hearts, God was silently, but nevertheless surely, preparing the way by which those who were not wholly given up to idolatry should be brought back into harmony with himself. It is not at all times given to us to understand the purposes of God; often we cannot comprehend his ways. But although we cannot understand them, they are God's ways nevertheless. And of one thing we may rest assured, that God will do his part of the work faithfully. If we but commit ourselves into his care, all will be well; and although the way at times may be dark, and the pathway dim, let us trust in God, who doeth all things right. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Isa. 26: 3, 4. (Lesson 2, July 13, 1889.) 1. WHAT is more than food and raiment?
"The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment." Luke 12:23. 2. What assurance does Christ give that we shall be clothed?
"If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?" Verse 28. 3. Why would he not have us live in careful suspense regarding the necessaries of life?
"And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things." Verses 29, 30. 4. Of what does he exhort us to beware?
"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Verse 15. 5. What parable is given to illustrate covetousness?
"And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" Verses 16-20. 6. How does this parable show the covetous spirit? 7. What kind of men was Moses to select for responsible positions?
"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Ex. 18:21. 8. Is the same instruction brought into the New Testament?
"This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work." "Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous." 1 Tim. 3:1, 3.394 9. What spirit should characterize a bishop or elder?
"For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate." 1 Tim. 1:7, 8. 10. With what class of sins is covetousness placed?
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6:9, 10. 11. Should Christians fellowship those who are covetous?
"Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." 1 Cor. 5:10, 11. 12. How does God regard a covetous man?
"For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth." Ps. 10:3. 13. Should it be so much as named as becometh Christians?
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints." Eph. 5:3. 14. What other commandment is broken by a covetous man? and can such ever enter Heaven?
"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Verse 5. 15. What is one of the ways in which covetousness manifests itself?
"And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Pet. 2:2, 3. 16. How will the preaching of God's word affect such persons?
"And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not." Eze. 33:31, 32. 17. What is the characteristic sin of this world?
"For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely." Jer. 6:13. 18. When does this text especially apply?
"They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken." Verses 14, 16, 17.
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5:2, 3.
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." 2 Tim. 3:1, 2. 19. What is the difference between a righteous and a covetous man?
"He coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not." Prov. 21:26. 20. For what did David pray?
"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness." Ps. 119:36. 21. What promise is made to him who hates covetousness?
"The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor; but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days." Prov. 28:16. 22. To what does the apostle exhort God's people?
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. 13:5. 23. What is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ?
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Cor. 8:9. 24. What is the difference between the grace of Christ and covetousness? Ans.—The grace of Christ gives all, and covetousness takes all. HEB. 13:5 reads: "Let your conversation be without covetousness." The word conversation did not mean when the Bible was translated what it now does. It is now generally used to denote verbal intercourse between persons, familiar talks, etc., whereas it formerly meant, "behavior, conduct, deportment," and that is what it means in the above passage. The Greek word translated conversation in this text is tropos, and is defined by Bagster as "mode, manner, way;" "turn of mind or action, habit, disposition." And this is the meaning that the word conversation has in every place where it occurs in the Scriptures, with the exception of Phil. 1:27 and 3:20, in which texts it means citizenship. But these meanings take nothing from the word as applied to our verbal intercourse or the words which we speak; for "way, manner of life, behavior," certainly include our words. COVETOUSNESS is an unlawful desire. It is classed among the worst of sins, for it is directly opposed to every principle of the gospel of Christ. The plan of salvation rests wholly on Heaven's gift to man. It was a gift of infinite love, and was at an infinite sacrifice. When there is one single prompting of that spirit in the soul, it so far makes men unselfish and generous. The two spirits are as far apart as Heaven and hell, as light and darkness. No man possessing the spirit of covetousness is fit to bear any responsibility in a work so sacred as that which is laid in such an infinite cost. Every attempt to advance it by such a person would only mar the work. Our efforts are weakened by such a spirit. It paralyzes the greatest effort. But the smallest act and the feeblest effort clothed with the spirit of appreciation of the gift of Heaven, has a power beyond description. It conquers Satan every time, and only works good. God would have his people despise covetousness, and cultivate the opposite spirit. In 1 Cor. 5:11 we are told not to keep company or even eat with certain characters, and among others are mentioned covetous persons. The keeping company is walking in church-fellowship, and eating is at the communion table. No stronger language could be used to show how God regards that sin. The tenth verse shows that we will have to mingle with them in this world as long as we are in it. But to take them into Christian fellowship is contrary to the principles of this gospel of Christ. Mankind are naturally selfish, but the grace of Christ is unselfish. It is a heavenly plant growing only in that heart which has been renewed. It is a jealous principle, and will admit of no rival. It makes a lovely character, admired by all. It cannot live without action, and every act increases, strengthens, and extends it. The unconverted heart cannot originate or produce this plant of heavenly growth, which lives and flourishes only where Christ reigns. If this spirit of unselfishness is nourished, it will prove an evergreen. Its branches will not decay; its leaves will not wither. It is immortal, eternal, watered continually with the dews of Heaven. But covetousness is the reverse of all this. It withers the soul; it dries up every liberal feeling; paralyzes unselfish emotions; prevents every generous act, and while it may say, Yes, yes, to the opposite principles, there is nothing that can move the individual to action. This is covetousness. It should be hated as we would hate poison, and dreaded as we would dread the bite of a deadly viper. It should not be so much as named among saints. The Missionary.
By J. W. Scoles
THE LAND OF THE CZARS. NO. 7.
Concerning the prison system of Russia and Siberia, and also the plan of sending exiles to the latter country, much more might be written than could be contained within the limits of an ordinary article of this kind. Many of the readers of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES are doubtless familiar with some of the features of prison life in Russia, having read an account of the imprisonment of Elder L. R. Conradi at Perikop, in the Crimea, in 1885. The facts in this case, together with much other interesting information concerning Russia and Russian customs, can be found in "Historical Sketches of Foreign Missions," which will be sent, post-paid, for ninety cents, by addressing the Pacific Press Publishing Company, Oakland, Cal. Reference has already been made to the fact that there are no penitentiaries in Russia. In this connection it might also be stated that there are no prisons primarily designed for political offenders and that class of criminals. Persons arrested upon such charges as these are thrown into the prisons originally built for common vagrants, murderers, thieves, and the lowest class of criminals, and which are always filled to overflowing with this class of felons. Under this condition of affairs, they must necessarily share all the evils that result from overcrowding, poor food, and bad sanitary condition of the prison buildings. How terrible such evils are, doubtless no one can fully comprehend except those who have had an opportunity to inspect Russian prisons. It is probably within the limits of reason to state that there is not a single prison in Russia or Siberia which is provided with suitable sanitary accommodations. The slowness of judicial procedure in Russia, such as has already been shown, is one cause for the overcrowding of the prisons. There were 94,515 persons in prison in Russia, on the 1st of June, 1885, and of this number 26,307 were awaiting trial. Prisons originally built to contain 150 to 200 persons are compelled to receive from 300 to 400 prisoners. In some cases the overcrowding is carried to such an extent that the air space allowed to each individual amounts to only one-fifth of a cubic fathom. In other words, there are prisons so crowded that the air supply is in the same proportion as though ten395 human beings were living together and trying to breathe in a room fourteen feet long, seven feet high and seven feet wide. In many prisons women are not adequately separated from the men, and other and more disgraceful features might be mentioned. But the provincial prisons of Russia are almost palaces compared with the places that await these poor sufferers when they have once passed their trial and are consigned to Siberia. Priests, students, soldiers, citizens, all are driven into line on that terrible march to Siberia. And the legend placed over Dantés "Inferno," "Abandon hope all ye who enter here," might well be placed at the boundary line between Russia and Siberia. The outrages to which the people are subjected pass all belief. Exile-forwarding prisons are located at Tiumen, Tomsk, and some few other places, the former being on the boundary, and the most important prison in Siberia. This prison was originally built to hold 500 prisoners, and was afterwards enlarged until 800 could be accommodated. It is not infrequent, however, for it to have as many as 1,600 or 1,700 inmates. The following description, given by Mr. Kennan, in the Century of June, 1888, gives a fair illustration of the prison system of Siberia in general:— "The first kamera, or cell, that we entered was situated in a one-story log-barrack standing against the wall on the left of the gate, and built evidently to receive the overflow from the crowded main building. The room was about thirty-five feet in length by twenty-five in width and twelve feet high; its walls of hewn logs were covered with dirty whitewash; its rough plank floor was black with dried mud and hard-trodden filth; and it was lighted by three grated windows looking out into the prison yard. Down the center of the room, and occupying about half its width, ran the sleeping-bench—a wooden platform twelve feet wide and thirty feet long, supported, at a height of two feet from the floor, by stout posts. Each longitudinal half of this low platform sloped a little, roof-wise, from the center, so that when the prisoners slept upon it in two closely packed transverse rows, their heads in the middle were a few inches higher than their feet at the edges. These sleeping-platforms are known as nares, and a Siberian prison cell contains no other furniture except a large wooden tub for excrement. The prisoners have neither pillows, blankets, nor bed-clothing, and must lie on these hard plank nares with no covering but their overcoats. As we entered the cell, the convicts, with a sudden jingling of chains, sprang to their feet, removed their caps, and stood silently in a dense throng around the nares. 'Zdravstvuitui rebiata!' ['How do you do, boys!'] said the warden. 'Zdravie zhelaiem vasha vwisoki blagorodie' ['We wish you health, your high nobility'], shouted a hundred voices in a hoarse chorus. 'The prison, said the warden,' is terribly overcrowded. This cell, for example, is only thirty-five feet long by twenty-five wide, and has air space for thirty-five or at most forty men. How many men slept here last night?' he inquired, turning to the prisoners. "A hundred and sixty, your high nobility," shouted half a dozen hoarse voices. "You see how it is,' said the warden, again addressing me. 'This cell contains more than four times the number of prisoners that it was intended to hold, and the same condition of things exists throughout the prison.' I looked around the cell. There was practically no ventilation whatever, and the air was so poisoned and foul that I could hardly force myself to breathe it. We visited successively in the yard six kameras, or cells, essentially like the first, and found in every one of them three or four times the number of prisoners for which it was intended, and five or six times the number for which it had adequate air space. In most of the cells there was not room enough on the sleeping-platforms for all of the convicts, and scores of men slept every night on the foul, muddy floors, under the nares, and in the gangways between them and the walls. Three or four pale, dejected, and apparently sick prisoners crawled out from under the sleeping-platform in one of the cells as we entered." No amount of description can begin to portray the unutterable wretchedness and general depravity which characterizes these wretched abodes. The prevalence of filth, poor food, and impure air combined, causes regular epidemics of contagious diseases. Statistics show that one-third of the whole prison population receive hospital treatment annually, and when we remember that on an average, 18,000 exiles pass through this one forwarding prison each year, and that thousands of sick are treated at the dispensary and in their cells, and are therefore not included in the hospital records, we can perhaps realize to some extent the human suffering and misery connected with the Siberian exile system. In addition to this, comes the long, wearisome marching through Siberia to the mines, and hard labor at the end of the journey. From three to four hundred convicts leave Tomsk weekly during the entire year, and a much greater number than this is forwarded into Siberia from Tiumen. Exile station houses called étapes are placed along the road at intervals of from twenty-five to forty miles. Here the loathsome surroundings of the prisons are repeated, with the additional horrors of extreme cold and insufficient food in many instances. Marching parties are expected to make about 330 miles a month, with twenty-four hours' rest every third day. Each prisoner receives five cents a day in money for his food, which he buys from peasants along the road. No distinction is made between common convicts and political offenders, except that the latter, if they belong to the nobility or to one of the privileged classes, are allowed seven and one-half cents a day for their sustenance instead of five, and are carried in telegas instead of being forced to walk. Sick and aged prisoners are also permitted to ride in telegas, which are simply four-wheeled springless vehicles of a very rude description. The clothes of the exiles are made of the coarsest material, and the men are compelled to wear leg fetters, consisting of a long chain fastened to the ankle at each end, and held up in the middle by a belt which is fastened around the waist. Female convicts are not compelled to wear these fetters, and women and children who volunteer to accompany relatives or friends to Siberia are allowed to wear their own clothes. Unmarried male prisoners are forwarded separate from "family parties," in which are also included all unmarried women, and children. This condition of affairs has only existed for about six years; previous to this time there was no separation of the sexes whatever in marching parties. This reform has lessened somewhat the demoralizing results from the promiscuous association of men, women, and children for weeks and months in overcrowded étapes. However, the state of affairs is bad enough yet, since even family parties necessarily contain large numbers of depraved men and boys. Words cannot begin to express the wretchedness connected with the whole system. The misery and suffering, together with the cruel injustice manifested, are simply unutterable. Add to this the horror of hard labor in the colonies, or, what is worse, in the mines, in the extreme Eastern limits of the empire, exiled perhaps for life, with no prospect of ever again seeing home or friends, and all this punishment frequently endured for actions which would scarcely be considered misdemeanors in this country, and the situation becomes deplorable in the extreme. Yet, doubtless, many of our own people will have to undergo these very experiences. This seems distressing to think of, but it is an almost foregone conclusion just so surely as this last message of mercy is preached in Russia to any extent, for of all the forms of intolerance we have yet heard of, religious intolerance heads the list, and especially so in Russia. In regard to the religious restrictions imposed by this Government, however, fuller details will be given in another article. J. W. SCOLES. NORTH PACIFIC SABBATH-SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
THE eleventh annual session of the North Pacific Sabbath-school Association was held in connection with the camp-meeting, May 14-21, 1889. The first meeting was called Wednesday, May 16, at 9 o'clock A. M., R. D. Benham, president of the association, presiding. After singing, prayer was offered by Elder R. S. Owen. The secretary read a report of the proceedings of the association meetings held at the last annual Conference, after which the president gave a brief history of the schools in the Conference since the association was organized. The secretary then read a report for the four quarters ending March 31, 1889, also a financial statement of the association. There are forty-nine schools now belonging to the association, nineteen new schools having been organized during the year: At Eugene City, Cottage Grove, Roberts Creek, Union Ridge, Colby, La Conner, La Conner country, Woodland, West Union, Wilkeson, Willemina, Oregon City, Quilicene, Grants Pass, Silverton, Kelso, Portland, Myrtle Creek. During the past four quarters the schools have received by means of class contributions $697.89. Of this amount $80.88 has been sent to the State association as tithes and donations, $237.51 to the London Mission, and $151.27 to the Missionary Ship. Besides this, $67.34 was contributed by the camp-meeting Sabbath-school to the London Mission. Whole amount donated to the London Mission, $304.85; total amount donated to missions for the year ending March 31, 1889, $456.12.396 Encouraging remarks were made by Elders Loughborough and Owen, in which the Sabbath-school work was set forth as an important branch of the work of God. The chair appointed the following committees:— On Nominations—T. H. Starbuck, George Fulton, and H. A. Baxter. On Resolutions—R. S. Owen, G. W. Davis, and J. A. Burden. On Examination of Record Books—Warren Burden and Luella H. Ward. The meeting adjourned to the call of the chair. The second and last meeting of the session was held at 5 o'clock P. M., May 20. Prayer was offered by G. W. Davis. The Nominating Committee reported the following names for officers of the association for the ensuing year:— For President, Elder W. C. Ward; Vice-President, J. A. Burden; Secretary, Mrs. Luella H. Ward; Executive Committee, G. W. Davis, J. C. Hall. These were unanimously elected. The report of the Committee on Resolutions was called for, and they submitted the following:— 1. Resolved, That we recognize the blessing of God in the prosperity that has attended the Sabbath-school work during the past year, both in the line of the organization of new schools, and in the increased interest on the part of those previously engaged in the work, and, that this blessing shall be received by us only as an incentive and an encouragement to greater consecration to the work. WHEREAS, The sole object of the Sabbath-school work should be to lead souls to Christ, and no one can lead another in a way which he himself does not know; therefore, 2. Resolved, That we again recognize and emphasize the necessity of having consecrated teachers in the Sabbath-school. 3. Resolved, That we are in perfect harmony with resolutions Nos. 4 and 5 passed by the International Sabbath-school Association, and we would respectfully call the attention of the Conference Committee to them. WHEREAS, The International Association has recommended that competent State secretaries, when secured, shall devote their entire time to the work, and since but few could do this without compensation. 4. Resolved, That we request our State secretary to keep an accurate account of the time devoted to the work, and that she present said account to the Auditing Committee of the Conference at the proper time. 5. Resolved, That we are in hearty sympathy with resolution 9 as passed by the International Association, and we pledge our support to the Sabbath-school Worker. 6. Resolved, That we recommend our schools to carry into effect resolution 14, pertaining to contributions, as passed by the International Association. WHEREAS, it has been demonstrated that holding of teachers' meetings renders Sabbath-school work more effective, 7. Resolved, That we recommend that all our schools hold some form of teachers' meeting. After a brief discussion of the resolutions, they were adopted as read. Meeting adjourned sine die. R. D. BENHAM, Pres.
MRS. LUELLA H. WARD, Sec.