Earlier text: The “Hour of Judgment,” and the “Day of Judgment.”The Saloon Keeper’s Lost Character
A SALOON keeper of questionable honesty went to a lawyer to consult him about commencing an action for defamation against a fellow townsman. "The scoundrel," said he fiercely, "has robbed me of my character." "Ah, has he? Are you sure of that fact?" replied the attorney; "if so, for heaven's sake let him go; for it is the luckiest thing that ever happened to you."—Ex. A Husband’s Return to Smoking
A young lady who had been married a short time lately told a "bosom friend" that there was only one thing more astonishing than the readiness with which Ned gave up smoking when they became engaged, and that was the rapidity with which he took to it again after they were married. Poorly Rich.
By Rose Terry Cooke
"Oh dear, how I do hate to be poor!" sighed Mrs. Manners, as she laid down the fifth shirt she was making. There are various kinds of poverty. Mrs. Manners would have been called rich by any shopgirl in New York, but she felt very poor, and Scripture, as well as common sense, tells us that as a man "thinketh in his heart, so is he." Her husband was book-keeper in a great iron manufactory; they had no children, they were not in debt, and on their pleasant flat, keeping one servant, Mrs. Manners need not even have made her husband's shirts if she preferred to put them out or buy them. Still she was unhappy; she wanted a house of her own, a sealskin sacque, a velvet dress, a library full of books, plenty of silver, china, pictures, for her tastes were refined as well as luxurious. She was discontented, in fact; and it went to John Manners' heart to see the line deepen on her white forehead and gloom gather in her bright eyes day by day; but he could not help it. "Just look at Mr. C. and Mr. D.," she often said to him. "They began as poor boys, and now they are rolling in money. I am sure you're just as smart as they are, John. Why don't we get rich?" John Manners could not answer. The truth was, such people as Mr. C. and Mr. D. are exceptional; they had remarkable business talent and great energy. John Manners had neither; he was rather a slow-molded man, industrious, patient, honest, and good-tempered; a man most attentive to and careful of his wife, and painfully anxious to make her happy and contented. Caroline Dart was a farmer's daughter, a neighbor of Parson Manners, and when the clergyman's son went into the Thor Iron Works, instead of studying for the ministry, everybody in Stafford was surprised; but John had no wish to be a clergyman, and he did wish to marry Carry Dart, whom he had loved ever since their school-days. It had seemed great promotion to Carry to leave teaching district school and go to live in the city, when John got a rise in his salary, and could ask her to marry him at last; and it seemed to him nobody could be happier than he, with enough to live on and lay by, and a dear, thrifty, smiling wife to welcome him home from work. But when the novelty wore off Carry was by no means smiling or happy. She had been a personage in Stafford; here she was nobody. There all knew her, and her dark red silk wedding-dress, which she had earned by teaching, was almost too gorgeous to wear to church; here it was hardly good enough, and her bonnet was entirely out of style. However, she had good taste and nimble fingers, and soon wore as fashionable garments as other people, if they were of poor material. But she wanted better things, and to that end saved, spared, pinched in food and fire, and fretted in a helpless sort of way, at last sending her servant away and undertaking the work herself. But city air, stairs, want of outdoor exercise, and hard work, soon told on her aspect, at least. She grew thin and sallow, and did not like to look in the glass; still, she consoled herself with thinking of the handsome set of furniture she had at last been able to buy—a set of heavy, carved walnut with damask upholstery, that filled up that tiny parlor in the most comfortless fashion. Then John began to have dyspepsia. Why not? She gave him the poorest sort of meat, badly cooked; bread from a cheap bakery that, of course, had to be adulterated to be sold cheaply; stale vegetables, bought at half price; no fruit, eggs, fresh fish, or savory soups; and, besides these dreary meals, her dreary face at the other end of the table did not add to that cheerfulness so necessary to assist digestion. After a few years John's work became very much harder. The heads of the firm proposed to him to have a clerk, but he saw here a prospect to make more money, and, as he thought of Carry, his heart grew light, and he offered to do the extra work at night if they would give him the extra salary. Of course they consented. John was better fitted for their wants than any stranger, who would have to be taught, drilled, admitted into their private affairs, and, perhaps, after all, prove untrustworthy. If Carry was lonely evenings she did not say so; it was so good to have John making more money! And, as she was not now obliged to spend her evenings playing backgammon with him or talking over the daily news, or going to the evening meetings of the church to which they belonged, she had just so much more time, and, to improve it, got copying to do from a lawyer's office. She did so hope they would have a house of their own some time; and if ever the lovely, rosy children she met with their nurses, walking out on the avenue, as she traversed it on her way to get her work, sent a pang of covetous admiration through her human heart, she sternly repressed it; children were such a dreadful expense, they could never, never afford it. So things went on for five years. John grew thin and haggard every year; his hair began to show grey threads, and his skin was lifeless and sallow. He never had time to go anywhere. If his Sunday-school class asked him to go with them on any church excursion, he had no time. If a friend called in on Sunday evening after church—for they had made a few acquaintances—and asked if he were going to some cheap concert, or free lecture, the answer was invariably "No, I have no time; I have so much to do." And Carry gave the same answer. Even on the legal holidays they took no outings, except to wander up into the park if it was summer—a pleasure free to the poorest; or to attend church on Thanksgiving Days, and Christmas at some other church than their own, with better music and finer decorations than they should see elsewhere. To tell the truth, most of these holidays John spent on the sofa, half asleep; rest was more to him than pleasure. He had long been obliged when ten years of his married life were over, to give up Sunday-school and second service; indeed, he nodded so often during the morning sermon that he came home with a very vague idea of its subject; and Carry could not help him much, for she too was worn, sallow, weary all the time, but still crying out for money, breathing a secret aspiration for wealth in her heart continually, and speaking aloud from that abundance. It seemed to her the one solid good of this world. Of course, you couldn't carry it to the next, that she knew, but oh, what pleasure it would give her here! What was there money could not give and bring? She meant to be a good woman, she meant to do her duty; any clothes she could not possibly cut over or turn any more she gave to the woman who washed for her, who had five small children; she sometimes gave stale food to a beggar. Money she could not give, it was too precious; so when the contribution box was passed in church she did not see it, and when the collector called she was always out of change; but meantime her bank-book grew more and more agreeable to look at, and she wrote for two lawyers, she had drilled herself so faithfully to write clearly and fast. Then John was offered still another chance to increase his income; he could draw well—that is, copy; and the engineer of the Thor Iron Works was perfecting a new invention; some draughtsman was necessary to duplicate his drawings of machinery, and write out specifications and directions. John could do this if he could be helped in his writing. So Carry went up town with him every morning, and did his work while he worked for the engineer. This involved cold meals with the exception of breakfast, which she rose early to prepare, leaving her dishes to wash at her return. And after an evening of copying briefs, she was too tired to make John the hot coffee, the bit of milk-toast, or the dropped egg he had been accustomed to. It was cheaper and easier to give him a glass of beer, a bun, and a pickle. But after that year John grew more pale and thin; his eyes troubled him, his back began to95 ache; and Carry was too irritable herself to pity or comfort him. One day he went alone to see a doctor. It was Sunday, and the people were coming home from the second service. He felt so giddy and queer, that he turned out of the avenue, down which he was walking, into a side street to avoid them; and as he passed an open window in a house on the corner, he heard a clear voice singing to an organ accompaniment that most beautiful of sentences, "Rest in the Lord! oh, rest in the Lord!
Wait patiently for him, and he shall give thee thy heart's desire." John leaned against the railing of the garden for a moment. "Rest in the Lord?" Why, he had almost forgotten him! He had worked so hard for his heart's desire—no, for Carry's—that he had not had time to rest, even in the fatherhood of his God. He thought of his boyhood; of his good old father so long unseen; of his Christian experience and hope so rusted and corroded; of the treasure not laid up in heaven,—and his heart smote him. He found his way to the doctor's office as if he were walking in a dream; his waxy yellow pallor told a sure story to the experienced eye fastened upon him; but Dr. Blair made his examination and listened to his patient's story with forbearing silence. "You are not at all well," he said quietly, as he laid John's hand down. "You have worked yourself out; a man can't do more than he can, Mr. Manners, and you have tried to do it for years. You must have absolute rest, country air, plenty of fresh milk; and you must not worry." John laughed, but the laughter was hollow. "That is to say, doctor, I must give up my work, and my prospects,—and everything!"—he meant Carry. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth," said the doctor solemnly. "I tell you frankly Mr. Manners, it is a matter of life and death with you." John fainted. Dr. Blair rang the bell. "Sam, fetch a spoonful of brandy, quick! then send round the carriage." And when John was able to be taken home, the doctor carried him there in his coupe, and helped him up the stair. Carry was shocked to see him. Whatever love her small heart held for him awoke now, and alarmed her. She put him on the sofa tenderly enough, and made him a cup of tea. But she thought the faintness and weakness he still showed would pass away, for the doctor had not time to stop and explain the case, and John could not, in his deep love for her, bring himself yet to tell her of his sentence. He had loved her with all the strength of his nature, but the love had shown itself in deeds instead of words and caresses, and she had entertained the angel unaware. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends," and in his weak, human measure John had indeed laid down his life without being conscious of his utter sacrifice. He lay there half awake, not thinking now of Carry or his money—her money, rather. Through his mind ran the perfect cadence, "Rest in the Lord." In the grasp of fatal disease, ignorant yet that it was fatal, the straying child came back to his Father. Old words thronged his mind, old prayers stirred his pale lips, the prodigal's humble utterance, the cry of the publican, the agonized outcry of the sinking disciple,—all these he whispered, so softly no mortal ear could hear. Then a dream of peace seemed to steal upon his weariness; a sense of rest and relief relaxed all his tense nerves, and soothed his whirling brain; he smiled and put his hand out, groping for One invisible and fell asleep. When Carry came to rouse him at bed-time, he was dead. Now she had plenty of money! John had insured his life heavily, and paid his premiums so punctually and so long that even the insurance companies dared not try to contest payment: then they had both put their savings into good investments by advice, and doubled their capital over and over. Mrs. John Manners was worth at least sixty thousand dollars, owing to her husband's death and the rise in stocks recently. But where was John? She knew now how he had guarded and cherished and sweetened her poor, toiling, selfish life; how he had given up home and peace and pleasure, all that makes life sweet to a man, in order to satisfy her eager, wretched hunger for wealth; she had made herself loveless and friendless in her devotion to the muck-rake, and the crown over her head had been so long unseen, unvalued, it was at last taken away. Where now was her omnipotent money? It could not bring back John. She had herself helped him surely and steadily into his grave, for the doctor told her frankly and sharply that he had worked himself to death. Sixty thousand pangs of remorse and regret lay in her hoarded dollars, and could not be evaded. She must take up her desolate life, her irreparable loss, her tormenting money, and carry them all out of the city she could no longer endure, back to the home she now dreaded. One more awful lesson to the hungerer for this world's goods, that now, as of old, "There is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing"!—Rose Terry Cooke, in S. S. Times. If you sit down at set of sun,
And count the acts that you have done,
And counting find
One self-denying act, one word
That eased the heart of him who heard;
One glance most kind,
That fell like sunshine where it went,
Then you may count that day well spent. But if through all the livelong day
You've cheered no heart by yea or nay;
If through it all
You've nothing done that you can trace,
That brought the sunshine to one face;
No act most small,
That helped some soul, and nothing cost,
Then count that day as worse than lost. —Bellevue, Mich., was nearly destroyed by fire, on the 19th inst. —President Angell, of Michigan University, has returned from China. —The mercury stood at zero at Yreka, Shasta Co., Cal., on the 19th inst. —Nearly 480 tons of meat unfit for food were seized in the London markets last year. —California wheat is being shipped to St. Louis via the Southern and Texas Pacific Railroads. —The largest steam-ship ever built in California, was recently launched in San Francisco, to be used in the Mexican trade. —By an explosion in a coal-mine in Durham County, England, the 16th inst., 120 persons were entombed. Thirty of the miners were rescued. —Ko Kun Hua, the Professor of Chinese at Harvard University, died of pneumonia, on the 14th inst. He held the Chinese rank of Mandarin. —One thousand of the workmen on the Panama Canal have died of fever. Out of a party of thirty Belgian mechanics, eighteen have died. —A dispatch from Paris, last week, said that failures were occurring in all parts of the country, and the markets would be depressed for at least sixty days. —It is estimated that as the result of the persecution of Jews in Russia, 100,000 Jewish families have been reduced to poverty, and property has been destroyed to the extent of £16,000,000. —New York has only one acre in public parks to every 1,371 inhabitants, Chicago has one to every 252, Philadelphia one to every 282, and San Francisco has one to every 198 inhabitants. —An eight-year-old boy has died at Point St. Charles, Canada, from the excessive use of liquor. The Coroner's jury brought in a verdict of wilful murder against the persons who gave him the liquor. —A dispatch from Ione, Amador Co., Cal., Feb. 19, says: "The weather has been capricious for a whole week. We have had rain, hail, sleet, thunder, lightning, snow, frost, and ice, besides balmy spring airs." —It is reported that the coronation of the Czar has been postponed until September. Until the coronation takes place, he cannot be considered as really Emperor, but his fear of the nihilists evidently outweighs his desire for the coronation. —Kaleidoscopes are useful as well as amusing. They are made by New York opticians, with very expensive lenses, and are used by architects and carpet designers, to furnish models for designs. They also furnish many designs for round stained glass windows. —The Supreme Court of Kansas has decided unconstitutional so much of the prohibitory law as prescribes punishment for drunkenness, on the ground that the provision was not expressed in the title of the bill. The Court holds that persons legally possessing liquor can drink it or give it away. —The business center of Haverhill, Mass., was destroyed by fire, the 17th inst. The territory burned embraces the largest part of the boot and shoe manufacturers. Over one hundred shoe factories, representing about 200 firms, are destroyed, and 2,000 people are thrown out of employment. The loss is $2,700,000. —The old homestead of Admiral Porter, at Chester, Pa., was burned February 17. A portion of it was occupied by a Professor Jackson, as a manufactory of fireworks. While the firemen were playing on the flames, an explosion occurred, killing seventeen instantly, and wounding twenty-one others, some of them fatally. —The citizens of Greenwood, Steuben County, N. Y., having resisted the sale of town property, levied on under judgment for interest on the town bonds issued in aid of a railroad never built, the government has issued a proclamation declaring Greenwood in a state of insurrection, and warning the people to desist from opposition to the execution of the law. —The most horrible outrages are still being perpetrated upon inoffensive Jews in Russia. At Odessa, petroleum was poured on a man's head and set on fire, and the man died in great agony. Subsequently many children were mercilessly killed. The General commanding the troops, when appealed to for assistance, said it was not worth while to risk the soldiers' lives. —Great loss is suffered by the farmers in the Mississippi Valley, on account of the overflow of the river. For three weeks it has rained almost constantly, and the river has been steadily rising. Helena, Ark., is flooded. The report says that now there is but a dreary watery waste, extending fully fifteen miles inland from either bank. The destruction to dwellings, stock, and lands cannot now be estimated. —The Russian General Skobeloff, in a recent speech to some Servian students, said that Russia had hitherto been held in check by Germany, and that the sword was the only means which the Russians had of ridding themselves of the incubus. He declared that the struggle between the Slavs and Teutons was inevitable, and it would be long, sanguinary, and terrible, but that the Slavs would triumph; that safety lay in the union of the Slavs with France, against their common enemy. The German papers are very indignant. The Fremdenblatt says the speech is significant because thousands of Russians hold the same views. —After some discussion, the Anti-Polygamy Bill passed the Senate, February 16, by a viva voce vote in which no negative responses were heard. The Bill provides that "Every person who has a husband or wife living, who, in a Territory or other place over which the United States has exclusive jurisdiction, hereafter marries another, whether married or single, and any man who hereafter simultaneously, or on the same day, marries more than one woman in a Territory or other place over which the United States has exclusive jurisdiction, is guilty of polygamy, and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500 and by imprisonment for a term of not more than five years. It also provides that no polygamist or bigamist shall be entitled to vote at any election, or be eligible to election to, or entitled to hold, any office or place of public trust" A Circus Performer Ordered From St. Petersburg
By Censar
An American Jew, who performs in a circus in St. Petersburg, has been ordered to quit the capital, on account of his religion. The account does not state of what religion a circus man should be. —There are 247 Congregational Churches in Michigan. —At Cairo, Egypt, 10,000 students are annually trained in the Koran within a single institution. —Cincinnati has eighteen Methodist Churches. The highest salary is $2,500, the lowest $385. —The members of the Old South Church at Boston have voted Rev. Dr. Manning life pay of $4,000 a year. —The Baptist Weekly shows by statistics that beside the donations for missions of 178 churches and 64 individuals, the contributions of that church average eleven cents per member. —William Jennings, a noted polygamist, and Superintendent of the Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institute, has been elected Mayor of Salt Lake City. Only the Mormon ticket was in the field. —An example for American churches is set by the Fort Street Congregational Church in Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. This church has never had a debt, raises its yearly revenue in a single evening, and pays its pastor's salary in advance. —The question has arisen at St. Thomas, Canada, whether a man who rents a pew at church can use it for a sleeping apartment during the hours of service. The courts decide that a pew is like a berth in a sleeping-car, and a man can sleep in it if he chooses. —The Bible Banner (Philadelphia), of Feb. 9, utters a strong protest against the course of the World's Crisis (Boston). It says: "While it is open to publish anything that will help forward its plans, even down to appeals to prejudice, there is not space in it for corrections of misstatements, or for statement, of facts that are adverse to the personal or party interests of its managers." —A man was arrested in Oakland last week for peddling "Paine's Age of Reason," without a license. He claimed exemption from license, on the ground that the "Age of Reason" was a religious work, and was acquitted accordingly. Bob Ingersoll may now come to the front as a religious teacher. He is not much less orthodox than many ministers of high standing in the church. —Dr. Kendrick, writing from Rome to the Examiner, gives his impression of Romish ceremonies as follows: "At the famous church of Ara Celi I saw the representation of the sacred Bambino exposed in a grotto with a perspective of distant fields and shepherds. This was rather pretty, and well adapted to please children. Indeed this, according to my view, is the conclusion of the whole matter—when the ceremonies of the Romish Church are not revolting, they are of a sort to please—children. I do not wonder that Luther's visit to Rome made him a Protestant. I only wonder how such visits ever work the other way, and end in turning Protestants into Romanists." —The Rev. Mr. Miln, who succeeded Dr. Collyer as pastor of the Unity Church in Chicago, has been dismissed, on account of some startling statements made by him in a recent sermon. He disavowed all belief in what he termed "speculative Christianity," such as the existence of a personal God, the doctrine of the resurrection, the existence of Heaven or hell, and the immortality of the soul. He declared that he could not believe what he could not understand by unaided human reason. This was too much. Unitarians care very little for orthodox beliefs, but the man who believes nothing that he cannot understand by human reason alone, has too short a creed even for them. —The Second Baptist Church of St. Louis recently installed a new pastor who had formerly been a Presbyterian. The church accepted his Presbyterian ordination and did not re-ordain him, and nearly all the Baptist papers are condemning the action. The Examiner makes the point that no Baptist Church would think of ordaining a man who had never been baptized, and, on the same principle, ought not to recognize ordinations given by unbaptized Presbyters. It says: "The fact that Pedobaptists believe infants to be fit subjects for baptism, and that sprinkling is baptism, has not the weight of a feather in Baptists' beliefs. We hold these substitutions to be perpetual and enormous evils, and we dare not by word or sign indicate our fellowship for them." Oakland and San Francisco.
Oakland.—Church N. E. corner Clay and 13th Streets. Meeting every Sabbath (Saturday) at 11 A. M. Preaching every second and fourth Sunday evening of each month. Prayer-meeting every Tuesday evening. Eld. J. H. Waggoner, Pastor. Sabbath-school at 9:30 A. M. W. C. White, Superintendent. Seats always free. San Francisco.—Church on Laguna Street, between McAllister and Tyler Streets. Meeting every Sabbath (Saturday) at 11 A. M. Prayer-meeting Wednesday evening. M. C. Israel, Elder. No regular preaching. Sabbath-school at 9:45 A. M. E. A. Stockton, Superintendent. Street-cars of the Hayes Valley Line, and Central and Lone Mountain Line, pass close to the meeting-house. SMITH'S COMPREHENSIVE DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE.
NEW EDITION, octavo size, 1,200 pages, with many important additions and improvements from the works of the most eminent scholars, commentators and travelers. It is designed to be In regard to the pronunciation and signification of Scriptural names; the solution of difficulties respecting the interpretation, authority and harmony of the Old and New Testaments; the history and description of Biblical customs, events, places, persons, animals, plants, etc. In this book it is designed to make everything intelligible to those who understand only the English language, and to place them as nearly as possible on a level with the scholars who are familiar with the original languages of the Scriptures. All the words in the vocabulary are pronounced and divided into syllables, and words or parts of words are respelled whenever this is necessary to indicate the pronunciation. The book contains numerous maps, and is abundantly supplied with superior engravings, which are of real utility to the student. No one who desires to study the Scriptures intelligently will be without a copy of this most excellent book, as its price is within the reach of all. - Price, in cloth ........................................ $5.00
" in library binding ................................... 6.00
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.A MINE OF INFORMATION.
By John Nevins Andrews
History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week
THE Bible record of the Sabbath; the secular history concerning it; the successive steps by which the change to the first day was made; and the work of restoration, are given in detail. Concerning the Sabbath is commented on at length; and the COMPLETE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS
In regard to the Sabbath and first day is given. The comparative merits of the seventh and the first day Sabbaths are fully shown. A copious index enables the reader to find the comments on any text, or the statement of any historian. Should be read by everybody. 528 pp. Price, $1.25. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal. The Religious Amendment to the Constitution:
OR
THE SABBATH, THE SUNDAY, THE CHANGE
AND THE RESTITUTION. THE object of the proposed Constitutional Amendment, together with the authority for it, is fully canvassed. The views of the leaders of the parties both for and against the Amendment are fairly given in this book. The present agitation of the Sunday Law makes this book especially interesting and instructive at this time.
Bound in cloth, 380 pp. Price, $1.00.
Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal. COMPANION TO THE REVISED NEW TESTAMENT.
Explaining the Reasons for the Changes made in the Revised Edition, with Explanations to the Appendix of the Revised New Testament,
Which contains the Changes Suggested by the American Committee but were not assented to by the English Committee. Paper covers, 8vo., 25 cents. Cloth. 16mo., 75 cents. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal. "ENFORCEMENT of the Christian Sabbath. A Vindication of the Commandment of God, and the Position of the Seventh-day Adventists." This is the title of a 32-page tract, mostly solid bourgeois type, just printed at this Office. The body of it is composed of the three editorial articles which appeared in the SIGNS of Dec. 8, 15, and 22, 1881, entitled, "Enforcement of the 'Christian Sabbath.'" It has also a preface of one page, as follows:— This Tract contains three editorial articles which were published in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES of the dates of December 8, 15, and 22, 1881. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is the organ of the Seventh-day Adventists, published in Oakland, Cal., at the Pacific Press Publishing House. It advocates the observance of "the Sabbath day according to the commandment" (Luke 23 :56), and the people who publish it—the Seventh-day Adventists—are conscientious and strict keepers of the fourth commandment of the Decalogue as given by Jehovah himself. The commandment is too plain to admit of any substitution, and too sacred to admit of any evasion. We cannot suffer anything to stand between us and our duty to the Creator of heaven and earth; why should we be made offenders for this? A warrant having been served on the Superintendent of the Pacific Press for keeping the establishment open on Sunday, we think that justice to ourselves, but more than all else, to the holy law of God, which we endeavor to keep and to defend, demands that we give these articles a more extensive circulation, that our fellow-citizens may better understand the reasons of our position which, to some, appears uselessly singular. We have not inquired whether the warrant against our Office was sworn out by the friends or the enemies of the Sunday Law; this has no bearing on the fact that a popular effort is being made by the friends of Sunday to enforce its observance on all classes without exception. They who kindle a fire are responsible for the consequences; and they must not plead that they could not control it after it was started. We have looked for this political agitation of the Sunday question for thirty years past; events are proving that we did not read the "sure word of prophecy" in vain. And we ask the reader not to dismiss this subject from his mind because of any possible decision of the Supreme Court or action of the Legislature of California, for this agitation will be laid here only to increase the demand for a "Religious Amendment of the Constitution of the United States." Such an Amendment is the only hope for an efficient and universal Sunday Law. The prophecy in Rev. 13 and 14 clearly indicates that this will be the result of this clamor for Sunday enforcement. They who are now inventing popular reasons for substituting a church festival or secular "regulation" for the commandment of God, "know not what they do." This is a sufficient explanation of the circumstances which immediately call for the circulation of the Tract at this time. It also contains the leading editorial of last week's SIGNS, entitled, "Our Position." This is a defense from the false charge raised against us by some unscrupulous professedly-temperance people, that we are joining hands with the basest elements of society. If this were a temperance law we would advocate its enforcement to the best of our ability. But it is a Sunday law—a law in the interest of somebody's religion, but not of ours—and we have no manner of interest in its enforcement. We ask for no law but that which the Lord has furnished in the decalogue, for the enforcement of the true Sabbath, the Sabbath of the Bible. Is it reasonable to ask us to assist in compelling people, against their wills and convictions, to keep a spurious Sabbath, when we only persuade them to keep the genuine Sabbath? We stand on Bible ground. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Cor. 5 :11. We are willing to be "ambassadors for Christ." Verse 20. He has given us no commission to act as executioners. It is a pity that Protestant clergymen will unite to resurrect the Inquisition. This Tract ought to be circulated by tens of thousands in every part of California. To do this, and to carry on successfully other missionary work in Oakland and San Francisco, There are brethren in this State, who, personally, do very little missionary work, who have means which they could spare without depriving themselves of any of the comforts of life. They have never seen the time when they could do so much good with their means as the present. The interest to read is awakened; the way is open; the work must be done now. Will they respond to this call, and immediately send some means to this Office to be appropriated to this special work? Death of Brother T. M. Chapman
As WE are making up this form we hear of the death of Bro. T. M. Chapman, of Petaluma. All the friends of the cause on this coast will mourn with us over this sad intelligence. The whole family is in affliction with severe sickness. We can give no particulars this week. Reports From Oakland and San Francisco
LAST Sabbath was a day of unusual interest to the church in Oakland. Sister White gave a very impressive discourse from Matt. 25, the parable of the talents. It was well received, and we trust the effect will be lasting. The meeting of the leaders of the districts of the Oakland Church, in the afternoon, was also interesting and profitable. Bro. Israel reports an excellent meeting in San Francisco last Sabbath. This church has gone to work vigorously, and the effect is just what might be expected—it is rising in the work. Missionary Work in California.
THE ship work in San Francisco Bay is increasing in interest and importance continually. The number of letters written, as reported for a specified time, by the Society in Oakland, was 129, and the number of answers received, 48. The proportion of answers to the number written is growing larger, showing an increasing interest among the people. A mission station—a central point from which to carry on the missionary work—is greatly needed in North Carolina. Our workers here find that an interesting field, to which they are not able to do justice. The church of San Francisco is not large, and has not much means with which to work, but has a large field and much to do in that city. Its club of 145 SIGNS is altogether too small for their wants, but they are not able to take as many as they need. The Oakland church uses 500 missionary club SIGNS, and these do not supply the calls of the workers. Will not some of our able brethren in those small churches which complain that they do not find much to do, assist these city societies in their great work? And Sacramento needs help as much as do the cities on the bay. Bro. and Sister McClure and Bro. Scott are making a thorough canvass of that city. But how they will obtain a sufficient number of the Sunday Law tract, or even of the periodicals, to meet the wants of the cause there, is not yet determined. About 650 extra copies of last week's SIGNS, Feb. 16, were appropriated to the ship work. Beside these, an order for 1,000 extra copies came from the California Missionary Society after the form was taken from the press. Fortunately it was not broken, and the required number was printed. May God bless both the work and the workers. Our hearts are more cheered with these evidences of the progress of the good cause than we could be by finding great earthly treasures. Our office was never more driven with an abundance of work for outside parties than at present. We cannot afford to lose one-sixth of that time in which Jehovah has told us to do all our work. THE Sunday-enforcement agitation is doing just what has been pointed out in our publications—it is stirring up the "bad blood" of both parties in the controversy; that is, of those who are favoring the enforcement, and of those who are resisting it. It is stated in one of the Oakland papers that the disagreement of the jury in the recent trial was largely owing to the impression that the movement originated in the First Congregational Church! This may not be a very good reason; but it must be remembered that the pastor of that church advised his people not to deal with those who violated the Sunday. If all non-believers should combine and resolve not to deal with any member of the Congregational Church, it would not be pleasing to the D. D., but it would only be carrying out the spirit of his own action and advice. In the trial in question, the lawyers had a warm time—in fact the Judge could not control them so as to keep order, except by threatening to commit both parties for contempt. The jury had a sharp contention, and some on the outside, who overheard some of it, thought it would end in a fight. And these things are but the beginning of troubles. It is destined to bring more trouble upon the nation than any political question which has ever yet been agitated in the United States.