THE latest for the extermination of household insect pests is given in a circular of seven pages, issued by the Bureau of Entomology, which it would be well for our housekeepers to send for at once. It is free for the asking, and a postal-card will bring it. Write to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., asking for Circular No. 46, Second Series, Bureau of Entomology, and it will be sent you. The government issues many bulletins the reading of which would be of much interest, and often very great benefit, to all members of the family.
To clean wall-paper, make a dough of flour and cold water, and knead as you would for bread until it becomes free from stickiness and perfectly smooth. Use a piece at a time sufficiently large to handle. One piece may be used for a large space on the wall-paper, rubbing it over the paper as you would a sponge, but it should be changed for a fresh piece before it gets much soiled.
Cane chair bottoms should be washed with soap and hot water, turned upside down and well soaked. Dry out in the wind and sunshine, and they will be as firm as when new. Equal parts of vinegar, sweet oil, and turpentine make an excellent polish for varnished furniture.
To remove grease from matting, cover the spot thickly with powdered chalk moistened with benzine (gasoline will do), but do not allow any fire in the room when it is done. When this evaporates, brush off the chalk, and the grease will have disappeared. If necessary, repeat.
To remove the thin, hard coating in bath-tubs or other vessels in which soap and water are used for cleansing purposes, pour on a woolen rag a small quantity of naptha, rub the surface quickly, and when all the surface has been gone over, go over it again with hot water and soap. Polish with a soft cloth or a clean chamois skin, and it will have a beautiful luster.—The Commoner.
Even Song
By Meta E. B. Thorne
ATHWART the weary world the evening shadows gather,
As slowly down the west the sun is sinking low;
Here at thy feet we lay our burdens down, O Father!
Content that thy dear love our every care doth know.
For O, thou lookest, Lord, with such divine compassion—
Such tender, pitying love—upon our sorest need;
Thy mercy for our weakness and our sin, thy consolation,
A healing balm for life's distress and woes, we plead.
Out from the world's confusion and discord we come, stealing
Into the quietness of that serenest calm
Found only in thy presence; and there in spirit kneeling,
With grateful hearts upraised we breathe our evening psalm.
We thank thee for the day now in the twilight closing:
Its blessings and its joys, aye, even for its care;
And now at eventide in faith our souls reposing
Ascend to thee, our Father, in grateful praise and prayer.
—Meta E. B. Thorne.
Cancer and Meat Eating
Nothing could seem more definite than the connection between cancer and the practise of eating inferior meat, traced by Dr. G. Cooke Adams in a series of statistical studies given out last month by the Chicago Board of Health. “There can not be the slightest doubt,” to employ the positive language of this expert British investigator, “that the great increase in cancer among the foreign-born in Chicago over the prevalence of that disease in their native countries is due to the increased consumption of animal foods, particularly those derived from diseased animals.” This conclusion substantiates the original deductions made by Dr. Adams from investigations conducted in Australia and London, and extended over a number of years. The foreign-born in Chicago are enabled through higher rates of wages to indulge in a meat diet denied them in Europe. They make use of the supplies derived from condemned animals and from the canned products of establishments handling tubercular and diseased cattle. This increase in cancer is accelerated by the influx of foreigners willing to eat even inferior grades of meat. So much may be demonstrated, insisted Dr. Adams, by a study of the vital statistics of any American city. The tables for Chicago give striking results. In that city, according to official figures, between 1856 and 1866 there was an increase in the death-rate from cancer of 680 per cent, while from 1866 to 1905 the increase was 232 per cent. The mere percentages would be misleading did we not know that in 1856 but one in each 1,000 deaths was from cancer, whereas, in 1866 this had increased to one in each 164. In 1905 it was one in twenty-three deaths, while in 1906 one death in every 21.8 was due to this disease.—Current Literature.
Worry and Health
WORRY prostrates more people than work, and mental worry, whether real or imaginary, is one of the worst foes to health, for it affects the action of every organ of the body through the well-known law of the mind over matter. It throws the whole physical machinery out of gear, and renders our best efforts abortive. But very often the worry itself is due to the action on the blood of a poison generated by the ferment of undigested foods which some sluggish organ has allowed to pass into the alimentary canal.—Selected.
Our First Acquaintance with India
By GEO. F. ENOCH
(Concluded)
GEO. F. ENOCH
THERE is still one more important tongue among the Dravidian languages—the Kanarese. Those speaking this language live chiefly in the Mysore native state and the adjoining territory, and number more than ten million. There are other tongues spoken in south India, by a less number of people; but, all told, the natives speaking these related languages number nearly sixty millions. Among all these millions we found only Brother and Sister J. S. James struggling to learn the Tamil, at the same time bearing the burden of an English effort that was trying in the extreme. They have done good work, and have succeeded in getting out four tracts in Tamil,—two on the coming of the Lord, and two on the Sabbath. They were providentially provided with a munshi who is good at translating, and who is an earnest Christian. These tracts have been submitted to the public, and are highly recommended as good Tamil.
When these things pressed into my soul, and also the needs of the eighteen million Marathi and ten million Gujarati on the west coast, there came a new appreciation of the words of our Saviour found in Matt. 9:36-38. Here were the millions scattered abroad, as sheep without a shepherd. Plague and famine were doing their terrible work among them, and still they were ignorant of the meaning of these things, and there was none as yet to tell them of the greater judgments that are fast approaching, or of the nearness of our14Saviour’s coming, but our two families. And what were we in the midst of such great need? And how could we possibly tell which of these two open doors to enter? Then, while we were yet uncertain as to the mind of the Lord, there came the visit to the Tinnevelli Sabbath-keepers. For a time it seemed that it was best that both our families should locate there, and develop the work in south India from that point, with the young people of these Sabbath-keepers as a working force. But the hot season in south India was coming on, and there was no place to live near these, who are down on the plains, except in the native houses, which were not suitable for a family residence. They generously turned over their church-school building, which is made over into a temporary residence. This will provide a home for only one family. As
Brother and Sister James had been studying the language for one year, and had long been planning to go down among them, there was nothing left for us but to withdraw, and turn our faces back to the west coast.
As I traveled from Tinnevelli in south India to the Bombay Presidency in west India, a distance of more than one thousand miles, and thought of this territory representing ninety million inhabitants, with at present only Brother James and myself with our families to give this message, my heart was torn with a burden that can not be expressed. I could only bow in prayer to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth laborers into his harvest. O where are the young men and women who, with an eye single to God’s glory, will come and join us in this great work? Where are those who will come to stay?—not to see some of the hardships and the depths of heathenism, and then return home, but to stay as long as God gives them life? If he wills that they shall rest
from their labors, let them rest on the battle-field; but O, come over, and help us uplift the banner of the third angel’s message in this dark land.
We are now in Satara, the old capital of the Marathi empire, earnestly studying the language. The Lord is helping us. It is difficult; but we can pass the word back to the young men and women at home who have strong, active minds, that in his name it is not impossible to get the language. We have been led by the guiding hand of the Lord to a most excellent Marathi pundit, and hope soon to get out some literature in the Marathi. We are happy in our work, and would not be elsewhere. Although plague is all about us, and famine is at our right hand, and there is unrest everywhere, yet, knowing God has led us here, we can say, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart. . . . I will both
lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Pray for the work in south and west India. Help us with your means in getting out literature among these teeming millions. Send your young men and women over to help in the great task before us, so that the work may be speedily finished.
Bangalore.
China
By W. C. HANKINS
W. C. HANKINS
At the beginning of another year, we wish to send a few words of greeting to our brethren in the home land, and to report something of the progress of the work in this field.
During the year that has just ended, the Lord used Elder N. P. Keh to sow seeds of truth in the district of Chow Chow, of which Swatow is the seaport, and Chow Chow Foo, the prefectural city. There are now about thirty at the latter city who are standing firm for the truth, and a number of isolated ones are holding up the light of truth in different portions of that district.
The Tsoan Chiu company reports also a recent addition of eight persons to the number of those who are meeting together each Sabbath; and a few days ago we received a letter from there, telling about a young preacher who had just left the employ of his former mission, that he might keep the Sabbath. This young man is a son of the old elder, who was one of the first Sabbath-keepers to be baptized in that city.
The truth has even taken root in Sien In, a city of about one hundred thousand inhabitants, about fifty miles north of Tsoan Chiu. But the story of our trip to that place, and what we found there, I will write later.
We have been working quite hard at the language, and at the production of literature in the Chinese language. We hope during the coming year to do considerable translating, if the Lord wills.
We had an interesting experience selling calendars the other day. These have the Chinese and foreign months printed side by side, for convenient reference, and all around the calendar itself are printed texts of Scripture, the ten commandments, etc., in Chinese characters. We sold each calendar for four cash, and the way they sold was an encouragement to us who had had but little experience in that kind of work. The first day we took only one hundred apiece. They were soon disposed of. Most of the time we could not hand them out fast enough to meet the demand, and when we had sold the last one, there were still people standing around us, holding out their money for one. The second day was like the first, except that we each took two hundred, while our teacher took one hundred. The whole five hundred had been sold in less than an hour. In the two days about nine hundred copies were sold, which exhausted our supply, but we could easily have sold several thousand.
From December 22 to 28 we had a meeting of all our native helpers, for prayer and study, and on the last Sabbath of the year we held the ordinances, and our native language teacher was baptized by Elder B. L. Anderson.
We are all well, and of good courage. We are glad to have a part in the work here, and hope the Lord may impress the hearts of many of our young workers to consecrate their lives to the work in this needy field.
May the Lord's rich blessing be with those of our brethren who are bearing the burden of the work both at home and abroad; and may he hasten the day when his people shall all have been gathered out from among the nations, sealed, and prepared for his coming, which “is near, and hasteth greatly.”
Amoy. January 20.
East Indians in the West Indies
By William T. Gunraj
WILLIAM T. GUNRAJ
(One of India's Sons)
Come walk with me, and let us witness a rather imposing spectacle. The moon shines full, and throws its silvery rays on all sides, displaying the luxuriant verdure as if it were a fairy scene. It is the month of February. You see before you a huge pile of wood and a number of men assembled around it. I can imagine the thoughts passing through your mind. What is all this about? Is this a funeral pyre? or is it the prelude to some cannibal feast? Let me endeavor to explain. These men are East Indians, who have come to this colony to labor on the sugar plantations. They have assembled on this occasion to celebrate their annual Phagwa Festival. They have lighted the pile now, and how lustily they sing, and in what perfect harmony their voices blend.
This ceremony is called “burning the ho-lee.” After the pile is burned, they retire into the village, and there spend the balance of the night in singing, accompanied by the beating of drums and the tinkling of cymbals. With the dawn they begin throwing mud at one another; when they have had enough of this, they bathe, and put on new clothing. The men then stroll about in bands, singing, beating drums, etc. With a reddish liquid made by mixing a red powder with water they drench one another's garments. They spend money freely in the saloon, and their songs are profusely mixed with curses, and unworthy of any interpretation. This festival is celebrated exclusively by the Hindus, who form the bulk of the population in this colony, as well as in the island of Trinidad. They need the third angel's message as much as any other people; nay, they need it more, for they are sunken more deeply in the mire of sin and superstition. Sad to say, our people have not done much for them, there being only one native conference worker in this colony, and he the only one in the whole of the West Indian Union Conference.
As I see ministers, missionaries, and Bible workers coming to labor among the English-speaking community, and my people (equaling all the other nationalities combined, in this colony and Trinidad) being passed by and neglected, I have been impelled to appeal for help. A people prone to superstition, idol-worshippers for generations, with no higher aim than to eat, drink, and accumulate money; a people, capable of being highly educated, among whom shine some bright instances of genuine conversion,—such are the people that need your help.
We need workers; nay, we beg for even one truly consecrated American worker, who will adapt himself to our needs, learn our language, and work for this hitherto neglected people. We also need some industry that can supply labor to those who are converted to our faith. Can not some American family who has some of this world's goods come over and help us in this? The Sunday laws and Sunday-keeping customs are discouraging to Sabbath-keepers, and make it rather hard for one to earn the necessaries of life.
Will not some heart that overflows with the love of Christ respond to this appeal? God grant it.
Georgetown, British Guiana.
Matabeleland, South Africa
By M. C. STURDEVANT
M. C. STURDEVANT
KNOWING the interest of our brethren at home in regard to the work in this field, I will give an account of three trips taken to look for outstations and to strengthen those already established.
Having heard of a place about thirty miles southwest of us, where it was said the young people were very desirous of receiving schooling, I started January 9, with two of my boys. I took my bicycle, but found we had to walk most of the way, as the paths were so bad. We arrived at the first kraal just as the sun was going down. The chief let us come in, although we could see at once that we were not wanted. A shower soon drove us into a small hut. Some goats slept in this house, and all the time we were there disputed our right to stay. The hut was round, about fourteen feet in diameter; nevertheless about twenty people crowded in with the goats, to hear me make known my errand to their village.
I told them I had heard the young people there wanted a school very much, and I had come to see if this was the will of the parents also. I soon found that the chief was very bitter. But after he went out, the children present said they did want a school very much; and one man said he did not know what was the matter with all the old people, that they did not want their children to learn.
The chief gave us a place in which to sleep that night by putting one of his wives into another hut. We heard them disputing about it, the wife saying she did not want to give up her house to a white man, etc. We crawled in, being very tired after having walked thirty miles, and slept the best we could.
At daybreak we started to see another chief, about five miles away. We arrived there as the sun was well up, and soon found the chief, an old man with hair as white as snow. He admitted us, quickly asking our business. We told him we were hunting for a place to start a school, that the children might learn the way of God. He said, “Who is God?” He did not want his children to learn about God; wanted us to get right off the place; did not want to hear more. And to hurry me away, he asked me to go and see his cattle, which I did. But by this time the people and children had gathered around in great numbers. He picked up cobs and sticks and stones, throwing them at the children, telling them to go away, and that they must not look at the white man. But they did not go very quickly. I asked for some milk to drink, and soon took my journey homeward. We can truly see that feeling is fast turning against the gospel. In these parts the natives know of the gospel, and so know what they are rejecting. I long to go and teach where they have not heard and rejected.
One month later, I went with two of our boys to our out-station beyond Kupuvula, where two of our boys were teaching, the interest seeming to have run down. We stayed the first night with Brother C. R. Sparrow, and visited the school there. We found the numbers very few, but the teacher still holding on. School interest seems to be very low among the natives now in all these regions. Missionaries of other denominations also note this.
The following day we went on, arriving at our school a little before sunset. We found only two in attendance here. The chief was very favorable and kind,15and the old people were willing for their children to go to school; but the children had little interest. I talked to the people that night; also in the morning I called some fifty together, and had a good talk with them. The children promised to attend school if I would leave my teacher there. So we left the boys to try it again. Returning by another place, where we hoped to start a school, we found the chief away, so we could do nothing. But as the Lord willed it, on our way home we met the chief. This we believe was for the good of our cause, as his young wife, who seems to have much influence with him, is not favorable to our work. I had before obtained permission of the white man who owned the farm to start a school there, if the chief was willing. The latter seemed very willing, and really urged me to send him teachers.
Accordingly, we have two teachers who are trying the work there.
Again, on March 3, we went out to the north and east, to see about starting a school where we had taught before. For lack of interest, we had closed there. But the people had again urged that we send a teacher. We had a very kind reception at this place. I talked to them that evening and the next morning. They promised to be faithful to the school, and send their children. It is yet to be proved what they will do. These people are good to promise, but slow to fulfil.
It can be seen by these accounts that we are trying to enlighten the natives; but we feel that they have become wonderfully gospel-hardened. In all these regions they know just what we are, and who we are. They are without excuse.
The interest at the main station is really good, and we hope that all who come do so to get help, that they may be a help in the future to their people. We have a class of fifteen or more whom we are preparing for baptism the first week in April. We still have about fifty in the home, and a good spirit prevails. So while some things may seem discouraging, we have much to encourage, and can say we are of good courage concerning the prospect. Still, we need strong men and means to help us, and your prayers that God will indeed be our help, and not let us follow our own judgment.
Bulawayo.
Mission Notes
IN the work upon the island of St. Thomas it has been found that a boat is a necessity in reaching places which would not otherwise be easily accessible. Elder H. C. J. Wolleker writes once, that for several weeks he has been working hard on a boat and the addition to their little church. He reports that the former is finished, and in the water for service, and that he hopes to have the latter completed in about a month.
AN AFRICAN VILLAGE
LAST summer Brother Enns made a trip around Lake Victoria, in East Africa. He was greatly impressed with the missionary situation in that field. He writes that the people literally ran about seeking the truth. He had at least twenty calls asking him either to stay or to come back to them to teach the truth of the whole Word of God, such as the Sabbath, the near advent, and kindred Bible truths. Inasmuch as it is impossible at present for missionaries, as such, to settle among these people and teach them. It certainly is a rare opportunity for devoted, God-fearing families to do much to advance the interests of Christ’s kingdom. In closing his letter, Brother Enns says: “I would to God that many families would come to Buganda, where I left fourteen persons who desired to be rebaptized in the manner that Jesus was, and to be taught the Sabbath and advent truths of the Bible.”
NONE are too old to accept Christ. It is a precious tribute to the power of redeeming grace when an old servant of Buddha yields allegiance to Christ Jesus. Here is an extract from the testimony of a native in Japan, who recently was won to accept Christianity: “I am just sixty years old, yet I became a Christian only last year. I am persuaded that it is only through the great mercy of God that an old woman like myself could be saved and live happy the rest of my days; because I was not only born and reared a Buddhist, but during the last ten years I have been extremely earnest, persistently studying its literature and learning prayers.” After becoming aroused to seek Christ, she further relates: “My interest became intense, and I realized that sin must be gotten rid of. Being physically weak, I took liquor, which I believed would strengthen me, and so drinking became a daily habit. I had smoked for forty-two years. Doctors had forbidden me the latter, but I had answered more than once, ‘Though I die, I can not give that up.’ But to give up Buddhism was still harder. The struggle was most desperate—time and again I was drawn back to my former gods. But finally they were divorced forever. I was liberated from all my sins and bad habits by faith in Christ, who redeemed me. Redemption, forgiveness of sins, peace, satisfaction, contentment, and joy can not be obtained through Buddhism. Only through the death of Christ on the cross did my weary heart find peace.” She closes with the following powerful testimony for Christ: “Dear friends, if an old person ensnared in so many awful things as I was could by the power of God be saved,—made a new creature,—I am convinced no one need despair of being saved.” It is in search of such conversions as this that we are called into the heathen lands of the great East with the gospel of life. And it is worth while.
Egypt
By JAY J. NETHERY
We are made glad to read of the good reports which appear in the REVIEW showing how this world-wide message is being sounded in all parts of the earth. We are especially burdened to see the message brought to the people of Egypt. It is exceedingly difficult to reach the people here. Many from the countries of Greece, Syria, and Asia Minor are here engaged in business; and they have such wonderful prosperity in comparison to what they had in their own countries, that their success has intoxicated them with money-getting.
The Egyptians have barriers to meet when they are brought in contact with the truth. The greatest of these are their indifference, and their satisfaction with their present condition (I am speaking of the professed Christians); they are supposed to have done their duty as far as religion is concerned by making the mere profession. The Moslems are proud of their religion. Passing a house the other day, I saw a doorkeeper reading the Koran. I asked him if he was a Moslem. He answered, “Aiwah, Il Ham dul allah,”—“Yes, thank God.”
We have been encouraged by the material assistance which the young people of College Place, Wash., are sending us. They send twenty-five copies of the Signs every week. This is a good way for the home people to do foreign missionary work. I have had some interesting experiences in placing these papers where they might be read. One man told me that this is the best paper he ever saw, and the workmanship is so good. Another man especially enjoys the articles by Sister White. Some who “were not of us,” and who “went out from us,” tried to influence him against her writings; but he sees by the fruit that the tree is good. Other papers I place in reading-rooms and homes where they seem to be appreciated. We meet with some encouraging experiences as well as those which are otherwise, and realize that by the Lord’s grace all can be stepping-stones to victory.
An Armenian woman and her two daughters with whom we have been laboring for some time, promised that with the Lord’s help they would keep the Sabbath. We realize that they have much to learn and put into practise before they will be in harmony with the message for to-day; but we shall seek wisdom from above, that we may be used to help them: It means much to souls in such places to be able to separate from their former connections. They seem never to tire of our visits, and urge us to come as often as we can.
We are glad to learn that Brother W. Ising and family will soon be locating in Syria, and Brother Krug in Jerusalem. This will bring encouragement to the few believers there. We are hoping and praying that we will have another worker to locate in some other important city in Egypt to hold up the light, and to be a counselor to help for the local work. We need such a worker very much. Is there not some laborer in the home land who is willing to come to Egypt? Is there not some home conference ready to support such a worker?
We hope the readers of the REVIEW are remembering God’s people and work in Egypt before the throne of grace.
JAY J. NETHERY.
The Work Among the Swedes in the United States
By S. MORTENSON
It is interesting to learn from the cheering reports in the REVIEW, how the message is going forward among all nations. It may also interest REVIEW readers to learn what is being done among the people who come to this grand country from Sweden.
There are at present about two million Swedes in this country, and from twenty-five thousand to thirty thousand more are coming each year. We have twenty-six Swedish ministers and Bible workers, including two teachers at Union College. I have received reports from twenty-two of these, who were engaged in the work during 1907. From these reports we learn that one hundred twenty-five precious souls were led into the truth during the year, eighty being Swedes, while the remaining forty-five were Danes, Norwegians, and Americans. The same workers also secured five hundred eighteen subscriptions for our pioneer paper, Sions Väktare; one hundred ten subscriptions for our church paper, Signalen; thirty-three for the Danish-Norwegian paper, and sixty-four for American papers. Besides this they also distributed thousands of tracts and pamphlets and also sold a goodly number of books. About one thousand new subscriptions were added to the list of Sion’s Väktare in 1907, but on account of the lack of corresponding help at the office, we have since lost several hundred. We are now trying hard to secure the help so much needed for the circulation of our paper; for certainly this is one of the best methods to teach the people. According to the latest statistics from Sweden, with the exception of only one precinct, the people can all read and write. As a rule Swedish people are fond of reading, and can best be reached through our literature.
The number of students in the Swedish department at Union College was doubled in 1907, the enrolment being forty-one. We thank the Lord for the measure of success we have had, and we pray for still more in the future. We also feel very grateful to our American brethren for the favors which they have shown us.
Although there is room for improvement in the matter of paying tithes by our Swedish brethren, yet I am glad to report that in 1906 I visited about 488 of our Swedish brethren, and found that they paid $17.86 tithe per capita. We are now issuing a new Swedish tract on the subject of tithing, which we hope will prove of great inspiration to our people on this subject.
I am also glad to say that all our Swedish ministers stand as a unit for the whole truth, as understood by our people throughout the world, including the spirit of prophecy and the denominational system of organization. We try to work in harmony with not only the American brethren, but also the brethren of all nationalities; and we long for the time to come when, saved in the kingdom of God, we shall all speak one language.
We need the help of our American brethren. There are several ways in which our American brethren can help us: (1) You can direct some young Swedish brother or sister to the Swedish department at Union College, to receive a training for the work; (2) you can keep your conference doors open for the reception and support of Swedish workers, so that the Swedish colonies in your conference may also receive the message; (3) you can solicit a subscription from your Swedish neighbor for our pioneer paper, Sion’s Väktare. It will bring to them present truth regularly every week in the year for $1.25, or sixty-five cents for six months. It is an up-to-date paper, and hundreds have accepted present truth by reading it. Even though your Swedish neighbor is able to converse pretty well in English about ordinary things, yet he will understand religious terms best in his mother tongue, especially if he was born in Sweden; and for this reason he should have the Swedish paper. If he will not subscribe for it himself, it will be a very practical way, and a splendid opportunity, of showing love to your neighbor to spend sixty-five cents for a six-months’ subscription for him. In that way you also bring him in connection with our office, where, by correspondence, we will try to get him to renew the subscription. This is a splendid way of co-operation. I humbly pray that our American brethren will take advantage of this opportunity to assist in our work. Just think of it, only sixty-five cents, and it may be the means of saving a soul in the kingdom of God. Our German brethren and others also have the same opportunity to help in this good work. Our Swedish brethren follow this plan for other nationalities, and why should we not expect the same favor from them?
We have just effected a plan for a new series of articles for the Sion’s Väktare. These will be intensely interesting. Send all subscriptions and money-orders to your local tract society or to the International Publishing Association, College View, Neb. If some should not be able to afford the subscription price of the paper, and thus help in that wise in the good work, then send in the address of your Swedish neighbor to our office, and we will find some other way of supplying him with the paper.
And lastly, remember that if you need tracts, pamphlets, or books in the Swedish language for your neighbor or friends, you can secure them from your local tract society or our publishing house. I trust that the Lord will move many hearts to respond, and kindly assist us in the ways herein pointed out, and that as a result we may see many saved in the kingdom of God. Do not forget that for only $1.25 the last warning message will be sent to your Swedish neighbor for one year, or for six months for sixty-five cents.
S. MORTENSON.
British Guiana
By O. E. DAVIS
GEORGETOWN.—Since our last report fifteen have been buried in the watery grave, thirteen of whom were new converts. A spirit of love and harmony is coming into the hearts of the members, and material advancement is obvious, both spiritually and numerically. Some improvements are being made on the church property; material for a baptistery is being gathered, while two small vestries are about completed. Our Sunday evening attendance holds firm and regular, and the health studies in our prayer and missionary meetings have awakened an interest in many. It is very encouraging to see so many at service, notwithstanding the laborious duties they have to perform. Our young people were much disappointed in not being able to take up the Missionary Volunteer Reading Course, as they were unable to supply themselves with the books. Only a few are able to subscribe for the Instructor alone. We therefore substituted a study of Daniel and the Revelation, together with the Story of Daniel and the Seer of Patmos. We have finished the first six chapters of the book of Daniel, and a written examination shows very good results. The attendance is larger than at any previous time since we came to this place; many even of the older members of the church are attending these studies, and a deep interest is manifested by all.
Our East Indian school, which is supported by a brother of North Dakota, has been moved to more commodious quarters. There are now thirty-five in attendance, and good progress is being made in the studies. After recovering somewhat from the illness produced by heart trouble, I held a canvassers' drill in January; and from those who entered the work at that time we are receiving encouraging reports. From present prospects we think the book sales for 1908 will surpass those of last year. Another encouraging point may be of some interest to others also. About the time of my last report, we fitted up one of our rooms with some plain facilities, that we might be better able to combat the frequent attacks of fever and other diseases, and offered these treatments to our members. We also began to teach them some of the principles of healthful living and simple treatments, not expecting the matter to become public. However, it was generally known in different parts of the city that we had broken up the fever without the use of drugs; then outsiders came, asking for treatments. The brethren feared that I would find myself in trouble, owing to the strict laws of this colony; but knowing the medical missionary work to be a special auxiliary to the message, I did not feel I could close the door against those not of our faith, as many were inquiring about the various points of our faith. I therefore consulted a lawyer on the matter, who thought I would be clear to go ahead with the work. To be sure, I called in a member of the medical board, who heartily approved of the system, but thought the law might require me to have a physician to diagnose the cases. He referred me to the surgeon-general, and told me that his word would decide the question. I then laid the matter before this gentleman, who questioned me on several points, and on some points of our faith also, and finally informed me that I could not be prevented from carrying on the treatments, as it was a philanthropic work; he further stated that he had no desire to stop such a work, but should any of our nurses come here to practise, they would be obliged to have a registered physician head the work. We feel that some ground has been gained in this matter, and that favorable impressions have been made with some of the leading authorities of the city. Not only have nearly all of our workers received benefit, but many very respectable people also, who were not of the faith, have expressed a desire to become acquainted with our work and principles of living.
