Earlier text: FORTUNES IN NEWSPAPERS(Lesson 4, October 26, 1889.) 1. For whom did Christ die? "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Heb. 2:9. 2. Will all be saved for whom he died? "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Peter 2:1. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." John 5:40. 3. Were the sufferings of Christ necessary to our redemption? "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Heb. 2:10, 17. 4. Wherein did it "become" God to have Christ suffer? 5. Did the Son of God need to be made perfect in character? "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 4:15. "For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Heb. 7:26. 6. Was he lacking either in power or glory? "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Heb. 1:2, 3. "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." John 17:5. 7. In what sense could Jesus be made perfect through sufferings? See note. 8. How is he the Captain of our salvation? Ans.—He is our Commander, Leader, going before us through all our obedience, trials, temptations, and sufferings. 9. How is it that the sanctifier and sanctified are all of one? Ans.—God is the Father of all, and they are united in one. "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17:21. 10. Who are the brethren of Christ? "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matt. 12:50. 11. Notwithstanding his greatness and glory, what condescension does Christ show? "For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Heb. 2:11. 12. Of whom will he be ashamed? "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:38. 13. What nature did he assume? "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Heb. 2:16, 17. 14. Why did he assume our nature? "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Verses 14, 17. 15. Whom will he destroy through his death? Verse 14. "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." Rom. 16:20. 16. How and by whom was death introduced into the world? "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:8. 17. What did Christ come to bring? "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10. "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." 1 John 5:11. 19. What effect does the fear of death have on man? "And deliver them, who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage." Heb. 2:15. 20. By whom alone can this fear and bondage be removed?—Ib. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14. IT became the Father to make his Son perfect through suffering. The attributes of God, both love and justice, required that a worthy sacrifice should be offered for man's redemption. Rom. 3:25, 26 shows that the sacrifice of Christ was necessary that God might be just, maintain the integrity of his government and law, and yet justify penitent sinners. In this view it was indeed fitting, or becoming, in the Father to provide such a sacrifice as the sufferings and death of his Son. In no other way could God's justice be honored; in no other way could sin be removed. Heb. 9:22. IN what sense was he made perfect through suffering? To some the idea may seem to be a great mystery, but it contains the richness of the gospel; not only in purchasing us by his blood, but in partaking of our trials, temptations, and afflictions, he is brought near to our consciousness. Thus there is a unity insured which could not be without his suffering. Were a man of immense wealth, who had never known suffering and care, to approach the poor and wretched and endeavor to offer them consolation, his words would be but sounds of mockery in their ears. But suppose one who had been immensely wealthy, and had resigned all, had become poor for the sake of the poor, had taken their severest sufferings upon himself, and even died that they might have life, then the poor hungry souls would hang upon his words with comfort and delight. Every tear that he shed would fall like a balm. There would be a union of hearts, for they would know his heart; they would understand and appreciate the strength of his sympathy, the depth of his love. Such a Saviour has the Father given to us, and the Scriptures assure us that he can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, because of the temptations and agony through which he has passed. Had he never suffered, he could never be all that the weary heart longs for; but by his sufferings he can satisfy every longing heart, because by his own experience he is able to enter the secret chambers of human woe. Thus it is easy to see that his perfect adaptation to our every want is through his sufferings. Thanks be to God for such a Saviour. WILL the object of the death of Christ be accomplished? Will he destroy Satan? Most expositors pass this idea by, as though this were a work too great to be accomplished, or which the Saviour had no desire or thought of accomplishing. It seems to be taken for granted that Satan has, by some means, gained a right to eternal life. We cannot imagine that the existence of Satan, or of any moral evil, can be a desirable thing in the universe of God. The Lord did not originate sin, he never created an evil being. Angels and men were all created upright, but they fell, and have become desperately wicked. Now it appears reasonable and just, yes, necessary, that God should place intelligent creatures on probation, and permit them to form their characters as they should choose, for there could be no character at all without choice; and he reserves all to the decisions of the judgment. But we could not vindicate the government of God if he had originated sin, and planted moral evil in the hearts of his creatures. And it would likewise disparage his character and government, if, after sin had intruded itself into his fair creation, and marred it with its hateful work, he would perpetuate it and give it an eternal abiding-place in his dominions. Said the Saviour, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Matt. 15:13. It is a cheering thought that the universe of God will be restored to its sinless, happy state, in which it was created. See Rev. 5:13. THE idea that Christ laid not hold of angels, or partook not of their nature, brings up the question of representation in the fall and recovery of man. Adam's sin involved his whole posterity in ruin. He stood as their representative, and the gifts of God to him were intended for all his race. See Gen. 1:28; Ps. 115:16. But as none of Adam's posterity represented a race, none of them could involve his posterity by his action. And therefore none of them has sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. See the argument on representation in the fall and recovery, in Rom. 5:11-21. The Missionary.
By J. N. Loughborough
CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE ADDRESS, 1889.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Again we are permitted to assemble for our annual encampment upon this ground. Here we come to spend a few days in seeking God together, learning more perfectly his truth, and our duty and relation to the same. May the God of all grace grant a rich measure of his Spirit to be with us, inspiring in our hearts true and devout gratitude for the mercies of the past, and guiding us in our deliberations for the future. May we be enabled so to conduct and arrange our various Conference organizations that the right men shall be put in the right places, and we all go forth doing the right thing at the right time, thus gathering sheaves to the heavenly Master's garner; and, as true soldiers of the cross of Christ, in his strength, may we "be strong, and do exploits."
How rapid is the flight of time. It seems but a few short weeks since we "broke camp" upon this ground, but it is a year.618 Another year is added to the record of our lives. What is the report it bears in the secret place of God? Have we improved our opportunities to labor for ourselves and others? or has there been a neglect to do, by God's grace, what might have been done? Happy is it for those who have had wisdom to discern God-given opportunities for doing good; who have been faithful in improving the privilege of work for the Master, thus acquiring experience and strength for new and future emergencies. Seventh-day Adventists have not been advocates of the theory that the keeping of our souls should be placed in the hands of the ministers, and of our bodies to the doctors, while we should give ourselves to the work of making money; but rather that it is incumbent upon each individual believer in the truth to do all in his power to become an efficient worker,—sowing the precious seeds of truth, using the talent God has given us in that manner, that at his coming our Lord may receive his own, with usury. We are met with the solemn fact that, in almost every department of this cause, there is a lack of laborers fitted by experience to bear the responsibilities and burdens of the work. How shall this want be supplied except by calling to exercise their gifts those who have some natural ability, thus giving them a training that shall fit them to bear burdens? I fear there are many among us who might have been developed ere this as efficient workers who have given themselves so exclusively to secular pursuits that they have, to a great extent, lost from their minds the force and luster of the truth. To such the words of the apostle might be applied: "When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." "And shall we meet the Master so,
Bearing our withered leaves;
Our Saviour looks for precious fruit;
Stand we before him sad and mute,
Waiting the word he breathes,
Nothing but leaves! nothing but leaves!" The last year has witnessed the death of more adults from our ranks than any previous year of the existence of our Conference. Of those who have died over one-third were with us in our last annual meeting. How many that are with us to-day may thus close their life-record before another year rolls around, we know not. It is too much to expect that we will all meet again after our separation from this camp-meeting. May this thought of the uncertainty of life lead us to that carefulness expressed by the psalmist when he pleads with the Lord, "So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." This we suppose to mean, Teach us so to meet the privileges, opportunities, and duties of each day as though it might be our last day, ever having a realizing sense that our lives flee away "like a shadow that continueth not." This is the eighteenth session of the California State Conference, but the twenty-second general gathering of our people in the State. Our cause on the coast has just entered upon its majority, it being twenty-one years the thirteenth day of last August since the tent was first pitched in Petaluma, Sonoma County, Cal., for the presentation in this State of what we call present truth. From that time to the present there has been a gradual growth in the work, not only in California, but all up and down the coast. There were not at that time ten Sabbath keepers from British Columbia to the Mexico line; now there are between four and five thousand believers. The Lord has truly and wonderfully blessed and prospered the work, not only of directly presenting the truth by the means of the ministry, but our schools that have been established have been an efficient help in the work. From the Healdsburg College laborers have already gone forth, not only in our own State, but to the missions in various parts of the world. So also have our publishing house and health institution been the means of gaining access to thousands of minds. Especially has the Pacific Press, by means of its publications, been a means of spreading the reading matter all over the world, by this means opening the way for the living laborers. The last year has been an eventful one in the history of our cause in this nation. For many years Seventh-day Adventists have been expecting, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Revelation 13, that the time would come when religionists, in these United States, would seek to have their tenets enforced upon the people by law. While for the last few years, we have seen a tendency in that direction, during this year the matter has seemed to approach a crisis, in that there has been presented before the Congress of the nation those measures known as the "Sunday-Rest bill," and the "Joint Resolution" calling for such an amendment of the Constitution of the United States as will require that "the principles of the Christian religion" shall be "taught in the public schools." The agitation of these subjects pro and con. has furnished us such an opportunity as we have never had before for setting the truth concerning these matters in their true light, before senators, judges, lawyers, and the public in general. In our own State the effort made to secure a re-enactment of the Sunday law, and the consequent agitation of the subject in the last fall election, gave our people a golden opportunity to work, and they rallied nobly, raising the sum of $337.57, with which they circulated gratuitously 30,000 copies of a special edition of the Sentinel, thereby placing the true animus of this question before the minds of hundreds who never before had been called upon to look at these things in just the light they are treated by the Sentinel. When the Blair bills were pending action before the Congressional committee our people again rallied to obtain signatures to the remonstrance against the proposed Constitutional Amendment and Sunday-Rest bill. In many parts of the Conference whole districts were systematically canvassed. The result of this effort was the obtaining of 44,155 signatures. During the months of July and August, just preceding Mr. Crafts' visit to this State, and while he was occupying the public, pleading in favor of the enforcement of Sunday by statutory enactments, our people again came forward, and raised $486.13 for the free distribution of the Sentinel extra. Of the extra there were circulated in the various places to be visited by Mr. Crafts, and at other points, 34,000 copies. In some places this has been followed by a canvass for the Sentinel, "Civil Government and Religion," and the "Sunday Law" pamphlet. We hope that this canvass may be pushed still further by our people. Let none be disheartened by the apathy of the masses upon this subject. It is continual agitation that will keep the subject before the people, and, when they see what measures are adopted by these Sunday-law advocates to carry their plans, it may be, after a time, that these readers will see that it is a question demanding their careful and candid examination; then it is that we shall see more than just now the result of persevering efforts to get the truth of these things before the people. During the winter months of the last year many of our larger churches in the State, such as Oakland, Healdsburg, Fresno, and Woodland, as well as others, were blessed with a glorious revival of the work of God in their midst. There was an earnest seeking to put away sins, such as was never witnessed among us before. As our people opened their hearts the Saviour verified his promise and came in. This revival wave affected, to a greater or less extent, our people all through the State. Not only were our church members greatly revived, but others took their stand to go with us in the Lord's service. For a part of the summer season we have had seven tents in the field. We cannot report as good results as we might wish in all of these places, but at some points there was a marked interest, with good results, so that we may say, on the whole, considering the various circumstances we have had to contend against, the tent effort has been quite successful. The Bible-reading work has met with good success, and the mission school which has been conducted in Oakland this summer has afforded better opportunities for those who have availed themselves of its privileges than any previous term of the school. There have been several new features introduced in the instruction which have not been in vogue in the school before. The summer term of the city mission has been a rare chance for the workers. Of the school and its workings I presume Brother McClure will give us more definite information than I can take time to present to you this morning. I will simply state further that I am informed that 102 have taken their stand for the truth the past year as the direct apparent results of the labors in the city mission work. What we call the amateur canvassing work has received some attention in this Conference since the April meeting, and has shown good results where it has been entered upon. Already some have been led by this means to give themselves to the canvassing work, who first started out simply with the idea of doing a little work in the immediate vicinity of their homes. We trust there will be considerable attention given to this subject during the time of this camp-meeting. I presume those conducting the canvassing work will give due attention to this branch; and we trust our people will do all they can to avail themselves of this instruction. Even if you do not design to make canvassing a business, you may be able to use now and then a leisure day in amateur canvassing, for some of the smaller works, in the vicinity of your619 homes. We hope to see an increase of the force of amateur canvassers the coming season. The ship work in the ports of Oakland and San Francisco has met with considerable success. There are many ships visiting these points to take away the surplus grain to foreign ports; we have opportunity on these ships to send reading matter to various parts of the world. We have been quite successful in selling publications on ship board, about $75 worth being thus disposed of during the last quarter, and we are confident that these sales will be increased in the future, as the one now in charge of the work is getting the run of the ships so as to be able to do much more efficient work in the future. There are many steamships visiting the ports of San Francisco; on these steamers we have either distributors or files of papers, or paper holders. In these are placed our periodicals, which are eagerly read. We recognize the hand of God in this branch, in that the managers of these vessels have granted us all the privileges we have asked. We trust our people will remember the ship mission in their sympathies and prayers. We notice an increase of tithes in this Conference over that received any previous year. Last year the receipts were $31,237.83; the amount of tithes received into the Conference treasury this year, from September 1, 1888, to September 1, 1889, is as follows:—
For the quarter ending January 1, 1889...$11,428.46
For the quarter ending April 1, 1889... 9,610.39
For the quarter ending July 1, 1889... 8,058.80
For the quarter ending September 1, 1889.. 5,734.81
Making a total of $54,823.36
This increase of tithes is not all due to increase of numbers, and certainly it cannot be attributed to any easier times, for it has really been closer times for money than last year. It must therefore be due to two causes: First, that our people are paying a more conscientious tithe, and second, that many have been moved to look up and pay their past unpaid tithes, and are making restitution in this respect. We trust that all our people will be moved to a realizing sense of the claims that God has put upon us, and then we shall no longer "rob God," but the rather "bring all the tithes into the store-house," that he may on his part fulfill the precious promise to us that he will open the windows of heaven, and pour us out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. It is not that we selfishly work for this blessing that we ask our people to pay a faithful tithe; but the cause of God needs the means, that the work may be extended into the regions beyond, where we are contemplating efforts to push on the work, and the people on their part need that blessing to make their labors more efficient in his cause. Our list of laborers is constantly increasing, and of course there is constantly a greater demand for means to carry on the work, and we are glad that it is so. Our list of laborers on the Conference pay-roll last year was eighty; this year it is eighty-five. A number of our laborers have gone with the message to other parts of the world, or our list of those to settle with would be still greater than it is. We do not regret that God in his providence has privileged this Conference with furnishing workers to other fields. May it please the Lord that still others be fitted up for responsible stations, and may the Lord send them forth to the work, is our prayer. With the increase of laborers there is a corresponding increase of membership. July 1, 1888, when this Conference made its annual report to the General Conference, there was reported as the number of Sabbath keepers within the bounds of the Conference 2,000. Our Conference secretary informs me that he reported July 1, 1889, as the number of church members in this Conference 2,143. He further states that counting the seventh-day keepers not yet organized into churches it is safe to compute the number at 2,500. Probably as many, if not more, of these have been brought to the knowledge of the truth by the efforts of home mission workers and Bible-readers as by the direct efforts of our ministers. I made reference to the fact that many of our people were searching out and paying up their back tithe, and this calls to mind another subject. The prophet Malachi not only says that the people of God have robbed him in tithes, but that they have robbed him in offerings. I have recently been looking over the unpaid pledges that have been made to different enterprises by our people; I find them to be altogether too numerous. Some of these pledges date so far back that, in some instances, the parties, when their attention was called to their pledges, had forgotten that they ever made such a pledge. Of course when the original pledge papers were shown to them in their own handwriting, they have acknowledged the pledge. In speaking of unpaid pledges I am not now referring to pledges that have been made on the condition of the disposition of some certain piece of property, but to these pledges made to be paid to some certain object in a certain period of time. What we call pledges the Lord in his word has denominated vows; and he has spoken of it as a very serious matter to vow and then not pay. He says: "Pay thy vows unto the Lord your God." Ps. 76:11. Again: "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast vowed." "Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" Eccl. 5:4, 6. I trust none will regard these solemn pledges they have made to different enterprises of God's cause in the light that one sister did who had made a pledge to pay a certain sum to our college during the following year. When the year expired she said, "I have not been able to raise that money this year and so I suppose I am released." She then made a pledge of another like sum to another enterprise; this she said she thought she could redeem during the year. But, alas! she was about two years paying this pledge. And when that was done she informed us that she did not believe in making pledges. The original pledge she never paid. It is a query whether a person has a right to redeem one pledge by making another, and again, whether pledges to the Lord's cause ever die out. It will be a good opportunity while our people are here upon the ground, to ask the Tract and Missionary secretary how their account stands on unpaid pledges. The Lord has promised great things to those who faithfully pay their tithes and vows. While we are calling your attention to matters relating to our home finances I hope none will forget to put fully into practice the resolution passed by our Conference last year, which reads:—
Resolved, That we heartily adopt the recommendation of the General Conference on the subject of the support of foreign missions, and willingly pledge ourselves to carry into practice the recommendation to lay aside each week, as God has prospered us, means to be devoted to the work of foreign missions.
How well each of you have carried out this resolution is known to yourselves. I would recommend that our State Missionary Society see that all our people upon this camp-ground are supplied with a copy of the little tract prepared by the General Conference treating upon the subject of the support of the foreign missions, and that, after this, they canvass the camp, and see that all are supplied with the missionary boxes. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
(Concluded next week.) Two-thirds of a thousand millions of heathen have not yet heard the gospel message. One in every twenty of the students in the five leading colleges in Japan is a Christian. The Scriptures have been translated during this century into nearly 300 languages and dialects. When an appeal was made for three volunteer nurses in 1887, at Jerusalem, twelve members of the Moravian Church responded. The "Pilgrim's Progress" has been translated into Amharic, the language of Abyssinia. Bunyan's great book has now been translated into 84 languages. The American Board has in Asiatic Turkey about 45 ordained missionaries, and nearly twice as many lay missionaries, besides 750 native laborers. They have over 100 churches, and a membership of about 9,000. After seventeen long years of persistent work, the English Presbyterian missionaries have got a footing in the important city of Chang-pu, China, and are setting about the building of a church, to cost $2,920. A Brahmin convert writes: "Though I was educated in a Christian college, I was not impressed with the truth of Christ. It was the example of a missionary's patience, faith, godliness, and humility, that brought me to Jesus." The Rev. G. A. Landes says that down in Brazil there are some rocks upon the surface of which can be traced the outlines of what seem to be the foot-prints of a person and of a small colt or mule. The people of the community come here to worship, as they believe that these impressions were made on these rocks by St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary, when they passed through Brazil on their way from the holy land to Egypt. Mr. Landes also tells of a priest who had acted as the pastor of a parish for eighteen years, during which time he had only preached one sermon, and then he apologized, saying it was ten years or more since he had preached a sermon. And this is Roman Catholicism. Surely the need for missionaries in Brazil is great. "ONLY FORTY-SIX CENTS."
By Maj. E. T. Scott
WALKING leisurely up the main business street of the city the other day, I saw that the display window of a large clothing establishment was entirely filled with an artistic adjustment of white shirts. On a spacious cardboard was this notice, which I give verbatim:— "One hundred dozen of these unlaundried shirts, all-linen bosoms, cuffs and bands, at ONLY FORTY-SIX CENTS." Nothing strange about that! To the average passer-by, perhaps not. It might not attract attention, save to one in need of the article, or to a competitor in the trade. To me, however, it meant a great deal. Entering the store I saw the proprietor, and asked if those goods were a part of a sheriff's or assignee's sale, as the reason for their very low price. "No, sir; they are a regular-made shirt, and come from a first-class house in New York." Continuing the conversation, I added: "You expect to realize something for handling these goods, don't you?" "And the jobber that took your order had a margin of profit, I suppose?" "What about the wholesaler who sold to the jobber; doesn't he receive something for his trouble?" "He intends to make a living, no doubt," was the terse reply. "There's the manufacturer; he is to have some share of the profits, isn't he?" "That's what he makes shirts for, I believe." "Yes; then there is the raw material, spinning, etc.; all must be added to the original cost. Now, how much do you suppose the girl receives that made one of those shirts?" The merchant shrugged his shoulders, gave me a searching look, and in a slow and distinct manner, as if he intended that he should not be misunderstood, said: "I don't know, and it is not my business." "Yes it is," I rejoined, "it is everybody's business. Only forty-six cents for a shirt, bosom, cuffs, and bands all linen. The girl that made that shirt must soon starve, sir, go on to the street, commit suicide, or go mad. I wouldn't wear one of them if you were to pay me for it; my conscience wouldn't let me." Noticing a look of incredulity, not unmingled with scorn, I read him the following, which I had only an hour before cut from an Eastern newspaper:— "BANGOR, ME., July 27.—On the 18th inst., Blanche M. Abbott, of Bucksport, eighteen miles down the river, shot herself in this city. She had formerly worked in a ready-made clothing factory. On the very morning that the unhappy girl shot herself, a man purchased a pair of trousers at a store in Brockport, Mass., and in one of the pockets he found this note:— "Bucksport, December 2, 1887. I wonder into what part of the world these pants will roam, and hope that the one who buys them will send me a penny, as we have to work at starvation wages to make them. BLANCHE M. ABBOTT." "Now, after reading this message do you tell me that it is not your business?" He turned on his heel and left me. A set of men like a hungry horde of human wolves, conscienceless, heartless as to who goes down—whose life goes out—would crunch between the teeth of avarice, greed and gain, all hope, every honest and honorable impulse of the heart for a nobler and a purer life, and, like the galley slave of imperial Rome, death would be the "surcease of sorrow" to these poor working-girls. Are they not as those who in the morning say, "Would God it were even!" and at even say, "Would God it were morning?" Talk about "the cry of the outcast of London!" The cry of the starving sewing-girls of America almost makes one to say, There is need of another Christ to die for the world! Which shall it be, starve? go mad?
Suicide? or to the bad?
—Maj. E. T. Scott. DON'T SHOOT AT THE BIRDS.
LAST spring we boys were having a splendid time with our rubber shooters; every boy in the neighborhood had one or more. One day I was wandering about the lower end of the garden with my shooter. There were plenty of birds all around, but I did not want to shoot at them, if I could find anything else to shoot at. I got over the fence into another lot, but still there were birds everywhere. I shot a few times, just to frighten them a little. Then I heard one singing beautifully right over my head. I couldn't see it very plainly, and I don't believe I meant to hit it at all, and I tell you I was frightened, when it came falling right down at my feet, with a sad kind of a little scream. I picked it up and tried to make it fly, or walk, but it would not,—its pretty eyes were half shut and it kept panting with its bill. It was a bluebird. I knew I could never keep it from mother, for when I have been doing anything dreadful, I always feel as if I was lost till I've been and told her. As I carried the poor bird through the garden, a drop of blood fell from its mouth, right onto a great white lily that seemed looking up to ask me what I had been doing. Mother was standing near the back piazza; as I laid the bird in her hand, it stopped panting and was still. Mother said, "What's the matter?" But there was such a lump in my throat, I couldn't speak a word. Then she saw the shooter in my hand and said,— "Did you kill that little bird?" I tell you it scared me, the way she spoke. I never heard her speak in such an awful voice before. Then she said, "You have stolen away its little life,—it was all the life it had. The Lord loves his helpless little creatures; he gave them to us to make us happy, and he will never bless those who are cruel to them." Then she put the little bird up to her cheek, and I saw her tears come. I'd a great deal rather she'd whipped me. I thought of all the beautiful days of sunshine I had taken away from that poor little bird, and how it would never fly through the air, or sing in the trees, or see the flowers, and the grass any more. And I wondered if it had a nest and little birds, and what would become of them if it had. And all of a sudden I jumped up, as I thought of the bluebird that had come to build its nest near us for so many summers, and I ran to her nest. The little birds all held their heads straight up, and opened their big little mouths, so I almost knew their mother hadn't fed them for some time. I fed them the best I could, and I watched that evening to see if their mother'd come, but she didn't. Before I went to bed I got a piece of soft cotton, and covered 'em up. I thought, you see, if I took good care of 'em, they might live without their mother. But in the morning only two of them held up their heads to be fed, and before night they were all dead. So you see I had taken away all the sunshine from them, too. My sisters cried when they621 knew that their little birds and their mother were all dead. I don't think I want another shooter. I don't believe I'll ever see another white lily but what it'll say to me, "You killed that bluebird!"—Youth's Companion. The Home Circle.
By Mary Bradley
A LITTLE bird went to and fro
Once in the nesting season,
And sought for shelter high and low,
Until for some queer reason
She flew into a granary,
Where, on a nail suspended,
The farmer's coat she chanced to see;
And there her search was ended. The granary was in a loft,
Where not a creature met her;
The coat had hollows deep and soft—
Could anything be better?
And where it hung, how safe it was,
Without a breeze to rock it!
Come, little busy beak and claws,
Build quick inside the pocket! Three speckled eggs soon warmly lay
Beneath the happy sitter;
Three little birds—oh joy!—one day
Began to chirp and twitter.
Until—ah, can you guess the tale?—
The farmer came one morning
And took his coat down from the nail
Without a word of warning. Poor little frightened motherling!
Up from her nest she fluttered,
And straightway every gaping thing
Its wide-mouthed terror uttered.
The good man started back aghast,
But merry was his wonder
When in the pocket he at last
Found such unlooked-for plunder. He put the coat back carefully:
"I guess I have another;
So don't you be afraid of me,
You bright-eyed little mother.
I know just how you feel, poor thing,
For I have youngsters, bless you!
There, stop your foolish fluttering—
Nobody shall distress you." Then merrily he ran away
To tell his wife about it,—
How in his coat the nestling lay,
And he must do without it.
She laughed, and said she thought he could!
And so all unmolested,
The mother birdie and her brood
Safe in the pocket rested. Till all the little wings were set
In proper flying feather,
And then there was a nest to let—
For off they flocked together.
The farmer keeps it still to show,
And says that he's the debtor;
His coat is none the worse, you know,
While he's—a little better.
—Mary Bradley, in St. Nicholas. Blessed Is He That Considereth the Poor
"BLESSED is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." Ps. 41: 1, 3.