Earlier text: Thoughts on BaptismUP-HILL BUSINESS.
By D. T. T.
The conversion of the whole world of mankind to Christ by the instrumentality of the gospel is a pet theory with most of the churches; and because it is believed this great feat must and will be accomplished before the second advent, these mistaken theorists refuse utterly to see any signs of the Bridegroom at hand in our day. Before a person can be persuaded to look for Christ, the notion of a temporal millennium and converted world must be torn from him. Now I am heartily in favor of carrying the gospel to all nations, tribes, and tongues; and I believe the two principal reasons why this has not been done long ago are seen in the persistent, ungodly, infernal course of the ruling nations of the civilized world, and the enormous waste of the wealth of nations and people for war and intoxicants. Give me the money spent for war, rum, tobacco, etc., since the era of the Great Reformation, and I could send the gospel into every part of the habitable world in two years. When this is done, and a fine, powerful, civilized, and educated people is raised up, where is the proof or assurance that they will all receive the gospel, all be converted to Christ, and that sin and crime will be any less vile, bold, and prevalent than it is to-day in England and America? Our country has the gospel; but not over one in every seven of our forty millions is a professed Christian. Great nations shed the blood of one another. An age of murder, singly and wholesale, is established, and Satan holds high carnival in all so-called Christian lands where to-day the light of the gospel of Jesus shines the brightest. This is indeed a sad condition of things among men bought with the blood of the Lamb of God, who so loved the world as to die to bless and save it. Look, for instance, at Africa. There are perhaps 65,000,000 souls within her vast borders; but how many have been gathered into the church as the fruit of missionary toil and labor? Only 130,000. It is the nineteenth century of the last, the gospel dispensation, but there are still in Africa 499 heathen to 1 Christian. I have in part stated the reason. It is because in gospel countries nine-tenths of the money goes for war, rum, tobacco, lust, and fashion. Wo unto thee, America! wo unto thee, England! for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Africa and China, they would have repented long ago, and bowed to the King. Who can wish Africa converted to the sad condition of our own country, where ten times as much is spent for the lust of the flesh, and ten times as much for strong drink and mocking wine, as is spent for the sacred cause of Christianity? Where is the profit in bringing Africa to the sad moral condition of our own States, in every one of which crime is on the increase? Where is the gain of making Africa and China like rum-drinking Great Britain, or beer-guzzling Germany—converted to our thefts, our frauds, our murders, our high-handed national and individual sins? Wherein, to-day, is Africa, in her darkness and ignorance, any more wicked than our country, with its light and its Bibles? It is up-hill business converting the world when the world refuses, point-blank, to be converted. And our ardent and enthusiastic “temporal millennium” folks are finding this out. Their treasuries are empty, while the coffers of the warring powers are ever full, and the deluge of whisky ever overflows. Would it were different! We who expect the Lord are accused of indifference to missions. Far from it. I wish there were ten thousand Adoniram Judsons, and ten millions of dollars to send them away into heathendom, where to-day there is a solitary man and a single dollar. But when men persist in the teeth of opposing Scripture, persist against all reason, and all fact, and all analogy in saying all men must be converted, and Christ cannot come until they are, I hold this to be a deceptive and egregious error. Cease to prate about the world’s conversion, and in a truer vein of thought agitate the New Testament plan of carrying the good news of a Saviour to all, leaving the question of its acceptance or otherwise to God. The church should do her duty, always and everywhere; she should remember that the first Christians—as Neander testifies—did not expect the struggle between good and evil, between the church and the world powers, to cease until the return of the Lord. The Protestantism of to-day is in danger of sliding into Rome’s position, and asserting herself a “queen,” vested with divine power to reign. The Corinthian Christians fell into the same error, and Paul, with sharp irony, rebuked them. 1 Cor. 4:8. Personal holiness and waiting for the Bridegroom is the believer’s first duty. Toil for the coming One, sacrifice, missionary labor, scattering Bibles as forest-leaves,—all these, and martyrdom itself, grow out of this basic preparation and position. Let us work on, to the utmost of human ability; then leave to God’s gracious will and plan the result. If millions of heathen die, not hearing of Jesus, I will leave them to a good and merciful, a wise and just God, at the Day of Judgment.—D. T. T., in Bible-Banner. Avoiding the Appearance of Evil
There is a curious Chinese proverb which says, “In a cucumber field, do not stop to tie your shoe; and under a plum tree, do not wait to settle your cap on your head;” which means, if you do so some one may think you are stealing the cucumbers or plums. Never forget that the apostle says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” Swiftly going, never stopping,
Onward and anon,
Roll the waves of time’s great river,
Ever on and on. Far, far back along the ages
Is the source and head
Of the stream that carries nations
To the silent dead. We are sailing on that river,
Floating with the tide;
We may sink beneath the waters
Of the stream so wide. But our course is never backward,
Onward still for aye,
Till we reach the peaceful ocean
Of eternal day. THE TESTIMONIES CONFIRMED.
By A. H. Van Kirk
I HAVE been reading Testimonies Nos. 1 and 2. The closing paragraph of No. 2 deserves our present consideration: 1. Because it was given quite a number of years ago, as part of a view given in May, 1855; 2. Because what is therein stated seems to be fulfilling before our eyes. I read thus: “I saw that when the message shall increase greatly in power, then will the providence of God open and prepare the way in the East for much more to be accomplished than can be done at the present time.” Is not this verily so? Do not the eastern reports that we have been reading from week to week fully establish the testimony? I think so. Not long since I heard of one who spoke derisively of the “gift” God has placed in the remnant church; but to-day I see good evidence of its genuineness. Brethren, read this whole testimony, and compare it with what has transpired and is now transpiring. May not all who, like Thomas, have doubted, now feel assured that there is no mistake in this proclamation? God help us fully to realize its truth. I have often thought how full of comfort and encouragement these evidences are to those who have had an experience in each of the messages. How their hearts must be cheered as they see events transpiring about them on every hand, verifying their long-cherished belief; how it must buoy up their tried spirits. Surely the third angel’s message is assuming the position preparatory to the “loud cry.” Brethren, shall we keep pace with the message? or shall we, while the people of God are rising higher and higher in the pathway to glory, be shaken out and remain with the unbelieving lost, on the plain below? Let us be ready to grasp the rope of faith that is being lowered within our reach, and which is designed to swing us over on to the evergreen shore. If we have held to doubts, we need not cherish them longer. God’s hand is in the work, and it cannot fail. My belief in this work is strong. I am happy to feel that through Christ I am making some progress; and though I make missteps, yet in him I hope to triumph at last. A. H. VAN KIRK. RITUALIST APPEAL TO ROME.
A RECENT statement says that several Ritualist clergymen in the English Church formulated the terms on which they propose to secede to Rome. 1. That the present married clergy may be re-ordained, continuing in the married state, and allowed to act as priests not possessing the cure of souls (this would exclude their hearing confessions). 2. The privilege of reciting the Anglican rite for Communion Service in English, with the exception of the canon of the Mass, which would be in Latin. 3. That these regulations shall entail no precedent, but be distinctly regarded as an exceptional concession to clergymen in the English Church, all priests, notwithstanding these privileges, to be allowed to follow the present rules of the Latin Church if they choose. This would permit them, for example, to recite the whole service in Latin if so disposed. These are the points on which Rome is invited to grant a relaxation of church discipline for the accommodation of certain clerical rebels now in the English Church. The concession as to marriage is evidently the main difficulty; but they say that they are only claiming the same indulgence as Rome already grants to priests in the Uniat Greek Church, not the Orthodox Russian Church, but that branch which flourishes in Greece and Poland. The practice there is to a large extent for young men in training for the priesthood to get married before they are made deacons, and they are then admitted to the regular priesthood as married men, and have the cure of souls in all respects except the hearing of confession. These English Ritualists want the same tolerance of a married priesthood, with the same limitation as to hearing confession.—Religious Intelligencer. Romanist Schools and Sardinia's Illiteracy
Romanist newspapers brag of the excellence of their church schools, and are multiplying them everywhere and coercing children into them. The real fruits of their system, however, like everything else, can only be seen where it has no rivalry. What comes of strict sectarian education is revealed in the latest official reports from the island of Sardinia, where of 547,112 inhabitants 512,381 can neither read nor write. This island swarms with priests, and has been for ages under their control. Removing the Veil from the Heart
By Rev. C. Bridges
The largest and clearest print can never assist our sight as long as a covering remains before our eyes. The best commentary cannot enlighten the mind until the veil is taken away from the heart. O how needful then is the prayer, Unveil—open thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things that are in the law! Let the veil be taken away from the law that I may understand it, and from my heart that I may receive it.—Rev. C. Bridges. DESTINY OF THE WICKED.
By J. H. Waggoner
The subject of future punishment is just now receiving large attention, and the newspapers have aided in raising the interest. Under the title of the Doctrine of Hell, nearly every prominent newspaper in the land has opened its columns for the discussion. It has had the effect to bring the subject of future life before the public, and an interest has been awakened which cannot fail to insure a hearing to the truth. It has also developed the fact that there is no unity of faith in the churches. Many ministers take positions which, if taken by those outside their church, would be ranked as the strongest heresy. The following from the Independent of March 7 shows how true is this statement:— “Western Methodism needs looking after on the doctrine of hell. One of their theological professors teaches, and prints it, that the suffering of hell is quite endurable, just that ‘gentle fire’ that the Catholics used to pray for, and a great deal more desirable than non-existence. Now The Northern Christian Advocate prints an article from a minister, the Rev. David Keppel, on ‘The Morals of Hell’—strange title—to show that hell is a perfectly moral place, and that there cannot be any sin there. Indeed, Mr. Keppel believes that hell is a ‘well-regulated prison, in morality only second to Heaven.’ ‘In the great eternity beyond the Judgment,’ he believes, ‘sin will be impossible.’ For is it not evident that not one of the ten commandments will be broken? There will be no graven images to worship, no Sabbath to profane; murder, adultery, and theft will be impossible. There will be no courts of law to bear false witness in; and no opportunity to covet houses, lands, wives, or cattle, where there are no goods to covet. Here is a theodicy with a vengeance. Whether there is to be any suffering we are not told. Probably it will consist in the mortification felt at not being able to sin. We do not know that we have ever met a more curious illustration of the tendency of some people to put a sort of corporeity about sin, and imagine that it consists in a visible act, rather than in a choice of the soul.” In the same paper is an article of real interest from Prof. Lacroix, of Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, O., entitled, “Rothe on Future Punishment.” It opens as follows:— “It will be painful to many to learn that the great theologian, Richard Rothe, was unorthodox on the subject of future punishment. In the third volume of his ‘Dogmatik,’ pp. 132–169, he discusses the subject in great detail, and from all of its sides,—traditional, exegetical, and speculative. We here submit a synopsis of his conclusions, as a mere theological curiosity.” The following is the latter part of this synopsis:— “Among the many mostly unsound objections to the eternity of the pains of the damned there are a few that are not easily answered. Of such are these: The bliss of the saved would be materially disturbed by the thought of the eternal sufferings of members of the same race. “The existence of an eternal hell of suffering creatures is inconsistent with God's domination in his creation. The kingdom of God would not be completed should there still linger within its scope a class of beings under the relation of absolute opposition to God. But in what manner is the actuality of sin to be eliminated from the universe? By the reformatory effects of future punishment upon the sinner? By no means. There is absolutely no hope in this direction. The efforts of all possible grace have already been exhausted upon the sinner. He is definitively obdurate. His conscience is extinct. Punishment has upon him no shadow of tendency toward salvation. “If, therefore, the pains of the damned are not eternal, and if future punishment cannot lead to reformation, what resort is left? There is but one, viz., that the pains of the damned will eventually issue in the extinction of their being.” “A speculative basis is found for this view in a correct conception of the nature of the human spirit. The human soul is not an absolutely simple abstract entity; but it is a concrete thing. As such it is subject to the law of dissolution. Sin is per se destructive. It ruins, it destroys the soul that practices it. The punishment of hell consists in the sinner's being left a prey to the process of destruction, which is already preying upon his very being. The completion of this process is absolute death, that is, it is the completed destruction of that concrete reality which constitutes the human personality. The dissolution of material organisms is a species of combustion. This holds also true of the destruction of the soul. As the dissolution of material organisms is their combustion, so the corrosive, the disorganizing action of sin upon the soul is the soul's combustion. In this sense the biblical figure of hell fire is strictly grounded in reality. The wages of sin is ruin, destruction, death. As the flame feeds upon the consuming candle until its whole substance is dissipated and exhausted, so the wasting disease of sin feeds upon the substance of the soul, until the personal organism is entirely broken down and destroyed.” “Such is the conclusion arrived at by Rothe. It would require almost a volume to give all the steps by which he reaches it. The conclusion itself is far from new. It was held by Hermas, and Justin Martyr, and Arnobius in the ancient church, and by many in later times. All that Rothe has added to the subject is the philosophical basis upon which he has grounded it. “But is this view of Rothe's worthy of the attention of the church? The one fatal objection to it is its evident conflict with the plain sense of Scripture. Apart from this fatal objection, it seems to us the only rational relief from the terribleness of the notion of the eternal torments of the lost. It hangs a fearful, terrific doom over the sinner, and it sweeps a dark shadow from the throne of God. It makes a theodicy possible. But is it true?” We can almost imagine that the Professor is writing in irony. “It hangs a fearful doom over the sinner, and it sweeps a dark shadow from the throne of God.” But “it will be painful to many to learn that the great theologian” believed it! Why? what is there to be feared from a doctrine which leads to such desirable results—which makes a theodicy possible? Alas, it is “unorthodox”! What is orthodox on this subject can never be learned from the discussions now progressing in the churches. Even the Independent most highly approves a discussion of the subject in the North American Review between some of the most eminent men of the country, of which it says:— “The great value of the North American's discussion, as a whole, is that it is not exegesis but theodicy. It does not attempt to interpret the Bible, but to make God just and good.” These eminent men, all ministers, have not learned that “the world by wisdom knew not God,” and none “can search out the Almighty to perfection.” For the correct knowledge of God we are entirely dependent on his revelation of himself. It is only in the correct interpretation of the Bible that we come to an assurance that God is both “just and good.” Let the wise of this world spend their time and strength in vain speculations; we shall not cease to thank God for the Bible, the blessed revelation of divine justice and goodness. TRACT AND MISSIONARY QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
By S. N. Haskell
The effort to establish church quarterly meetings on the first Sabbath and first-day in each quarter has proved a success as far as it has been adopted. The quarterly meetings of the tract society are equally important. The usefulness of any society depends upon its working element, and once a quarter is none too often for each member to report. Large churches should have missionary meetings oftener. Monthly, and in some cases weekly, meetings would be of interest; but each company, whether large or small, should hold a missionary meeting the first-day following the first Sabbath in each quarter. It is the duty of each member of the tract society to induce all members of the church to become members of the tract society, to labor to accomplish something in the missionary work, and then to report. It is needless to repeat that it is necessary for each member to have a pass book in which to enter the number of pages of tracts as he receives them from the librarian, and also the labor he performs during the quarter. The librarian should see that each member receives a blank report at least one week before the church quarterly meeting. This blank should be filled by the members and presented at this meeting. MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE CHURCH QUARTERLY MEETING.
In the absence of any higher officer, the librarian, or some person he may appoint, should preside at the meeting. The items of business should be taken up in the following order:— 1. After the usual exercises of opening the meeting, a report of the previous quarterly meeting of the church tract society should be read by the librarian, embracing the following points: 1. The number of members in the society; 2. The number of reports returned; 3. The number who have paid their one-third; 4. The amount of donations exclusive of the one-third; 5. The number of subscribers obtained for each of our periodicals; 6. The number of pages of tracts given out during the quarter, the number of periodicals distributed, and a summary of other labor performed; 7. The financial standing of the church with the district, and a general report of the previous meeting. 2. Call for individual reports. 3. Letters or extracts from letters can then be read. 4. A report of the Vigilant Committee, which may be given by the chairman of that committee. 5. Personal experience in the missionary work can be related. 6. Business which should be acted upon at the meeting, including a call for new members. The call for members should never be neglected. A report of this meeting with a statement of the number of pages of tracts and pamphlets, and the value of premiums, etc., on hand, should be forwarded immediately to the district secretary. Do this the Monday following the meeting, so that it may be received before the district quarterly meeting. Also all the money on hand should be forwarded or carried to the district quarterly meeting. THE DISTRICT QUARTERLY MEETING.
This meeting should be held the second Sabbath and first-day in each quarter. We make the following suggestions in reference to the manner in which it should be conducted:— 1. Read the report of the previous meeting, which should give the number of members in the district, the number of reports returned, and a summary of labor performed by each church in the district during the previous quarter, the number of periodicals taken for distribution by each church, and such other items as will be of interest to the members present. 2. Following this should come the reading of the report of labor performed during the present quarter, relating to all points above mentioned, including the financial standing of the district and each church at the close of the previous quarter and also at the present time. From a report of both quarters thus given, it will be seen whether the district is falling back in its interest or advancing. A table such as has been used, and frequently appears in the REVIEW, can be arranged so as to readily show what has been done during the quarter by each church in the district. 3. Any general business in behalf of the society should be called for. 4. Personal experience in the missionary work should be related. General remarks by the director, instructions given illustrated by the experiences related, will often add to the interest, and impart much light upon the missionary work. A report of this meeting should be immediately forwarded to the State secretary. This is very important, and should not be delayed a single day. In addition to the general report of the meeting, and business done, do not neglect the following: 1. State the number of members in your district; 2. The number who have returned reports; 3. The number of pages of tracts and pamphlets, and the value of premiums, &c., on hand in your possession; 4. The number of clubs of SIGNS, and the aggregate number of copies taken in clubs in your district; 5. The number of new subscribers obtained with premiums, in your district. Simply filling out a blank report and returning it, is not sufficient; but write a report of facts and items without long preliminaries, so the State secretary may know all about the society in your district, and thus be able to give a correct report of the labor performed in the State. THE STATE QUARTERLY MEETING.
The time for this is the third Sabbath and first-day in each quarter, and it should always be held then unless there are some special reasons for delaying it a week or two. The church and district quarterly meeting should not be delayed a single week beyond the regular time;101 and all money should be forwarded to the district secretary, and so on to the State secretary, each quarter, and thus to the SIGNS and REVIEW Offices. That business may be conducted properly, and to assist in keeping the accounts correctly, a set of books containing printed explanations has been prepared. These books are manufactured at the REVIEW Office, and should be in the hands of the librarians and secretaries. The librarians and district secretaries have three each, a record book, periodical book, and journal. A report of every church and district quarterly meeting should be recorded in the record book, and the names of all tract-society members. We would be willing to offer a large reward for an article setting forth better than is done in the following, the basis upon which rest all arguments for Sunday-keeping. It is from the National Baptist of March 7, 1878, and is all the better for being, perhaps, an unconscious blow upon the head of the old idol:— “To the Reverend Dr. Dobbs. “Venerated Man: I rejoice that in you wisdom has its seat, and that you are a sort of plug, so to speak, to which we may, as it were, bring our little pails and dippers to get a supply. Now I am a public speaker, a teacher of morals, in a word, to come right to the point, I am a preacher of the gospel. But I have my troubles; the chief of them is this: I often am compelled to prove something when I haven't got anything to prove it with. What shall I do? how shall I argue without any arguments?” “Pray relieve me, and accept my undying gratitude. “Yours with remote veneration, “I am happy to say that I have bestowed a good deal of thought on this very point. In fact, here is the very test of real genius. Any person, however frugally divine Providence has dealt by him, can argue if he has anything to argue on; but it takes a master mind to argue on nothing. But it can be done. I have often done it; in fact, 'tis my habitual method.” “Taking the thing to be proved for the proof, is a good way. Thus, it is desired to prove that A is B. You can prove it thus: ‘It is universally acknowledged (by all but infidels and radicals) that A is B; hence we see that necessarily A is B, which is the thing that we set out to prove.’ Of course, you would not put it just in that bare shape before an audience; I have given you the essence of it; you must dress it up. Thus, you want to prove that the soul is immortal; you prove it thus: 1. The spirit is indestructible; 2. The immaterial part of man is not capable of dissolution; hence, then, we see that the soul is immortal. Properly used, arranged in the flowing robes of ample speech, this is really one of the most effective forms of argument that I know.” “Another, almost equally good, is proving the premise by the conclusion, and then proving the conclusion by the premise, proving A by B and then proving B by A. And if the people believe the conclusion already (or think they do, which amounts to the same thing), and if you bring in now and then the favorite words and phrases that the people all want to hear, and that they have associated with orthodoxy, 'tis wonderful what a reputation you will get as a logician.” “Proving one thing clearly and conclusively, and then skillfully assuming that you have proved something else, is a master stroke.” “I regard, however, a judicious use of the fathers as being, on the whole, the best reliance for any one who is in the situation of my querist. The advantages of the fathers are twofold: first, they carry a good deal of weight with the masses; and second, you can find whatever you want in the fathers. I don't believe that any opinion could be advanced so foolish, so manifestly absurd, but that you can find passages to sustain it on the pages of these venerable stagers. And to the common mind, one of these is just as good as another.” “If it happen that the point you want to prove is one that never chanced to occur to the fathers, why, you can easily show that they would have taken your side if they had only thought of the matter. And if, perchance, there is nothing bearing even remotely or constructively on the point, don't be discouraged; get a good strong quotation and put the name of the fathers to it, and utter it with an air of triumph; it will be all just as well; nine-tenths of the people don't stop to ask whether a quotation bears on the matter in hand. Yes, my brother, the fathers are your stronghold; they are Heaven's best gift to the man who has a cause that can't be sustained in any other way.” TYLSTRUP, DENMARK.
By John G. Matteson
The meetings in Tylstrup are progressing. We have not had as large audiences as in Alstrup. Our place of meeting can seat sixty or seventy persons. At the first meeting, when I spoke on the prophecies, there were twice as many in attendance, but since that occasion there have been just enough to fill the room. I shall soon be through with the prophecies, and will after that speak on the law and the Sabbath. The word spoken has been blessed to the good of some. Many have a desire to search the holy Scriptures. Some are concerned for the salvation of their souls, and turn away from their idols to serve the true and living God and to await the coming of Christ from Heaven. Strong drink and tobacco have been dismissed in several places. The blessing of the Lord has followed our efforts thus far. Sabbath and Sunday I was at Alstrup. Our prayer-meetings on the Sabbath are generally attended by twenty or thirty persons, but there are yet only a few who have courage to take part in them. Sabbath afternoon there were about one hundred and thirty and Sunday evening about two hundred attentive hearers present in the meeting-house. There are many who are convinced, but it is difficult for them to tear themselves away and begin to serve the Lord. They seem, however, to have a desire to hear. We hope and pray that many others in Alstrup and Saltum may have grace to turn away from their former habits and prepare to meet the Lord in peace. I write these two days, and to-morrow I go again to Tylstrup to continue my labors there. My wife labors for the mission in Alstrup and aids in the meetings when I am away. We receive good news from our children, for which we are very thankful to God, and to the friends who are taking care of them. THE BATTLE CREEK SABBATH-SCHOOL.
By M. K. White
It has been my privilege during the last eight months to attend the Sabbath-school in this place. On account of the large number of young people who come here to attend the College, this is the largest Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath-school anywhere held. A few facts concerning it may be of general interest. Last September, when the College year began, earnest efforts were made to secure the attendance of all the students at the Sabbath-school. But the church was already full, and in order to make room for those who should attend, the school had to be divided. The privilege of occupying two rooms on the second floor of the west Office building was granted to the school. These were at once fitted up, and about one-third of the school has since met in these rooms for Sabbath-school, the most advanced divisions of the school occupying the larger room, and the children the smaller. Most of those who remained in the church were classified in two divisions. The largest of these divisions was principally composed of College students who wished to commence at the beginning of the Youth’s Question Book. The other division was composed mostly of those who had been in the school about a year. In the general exercises each Sabbath, the Superintendent usually questions one division and the Assistant the other. The school has gradually increased in interest for the last six months. But the late Sabbath-school convention held in connection with the special session of the General Conference, seems to have given the Sabbath-school work in this place a new impetus. Last Sabbath was a time of special interest. After the usual opening exercises, the Secretary’s report of the previous Sabbath was read, which was substantially as follows:— “Prayer was offered by Bro. Carman. After the class recitations, the Junior Department, division four, was asked review questions on the subject of the travels of the Children of Israel from the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai. Division three was reviewed by the Superintendent on the subject of the Ministration of the Sanctuary.” “There were 306 in attendance; 199 at the church, and 107 at the Office; 38 of these were officers and teachers.” “Two persons were appointed by the school in the church to act with one appointed by the school in the Office, to nominate officers for the ensuing quarter.” “At the teachers’ meeting, held evening after the Sabbath, the following resolutions were adopted:— - “Resolved, That it be the duty of each teacher to look after the interests, both temporal and spiritual, of each member of his class.”
- “Resolved, First, that it be the duty of each teacher to hold a meeting with his class during the second week of each month. Second, that the object of this meeting shall be to promote the spiritual welfare of the class by inquiry, consultation, prayer, and such other means as may seem advisable; and to secure and receive pledges for the financial support of the Sabbath-school.”
- “Resolved, That we recommend that this meeting, whenever consistent, be held on Sunday afternoon or evening.
- “Resolved, That it shall be the duty of any teacher who cannot attend to this matter in person to appoint some responsible member of his class to do the work in his stead.”
After another song, the recitations in the various classes were carried on with their usual interest for about thirty minutes. The classes were then seated more compactly to make room for the classes from the Office, who, as it was the last Sabbath in the quarter, were to join us in the election of officers. These came in quietly and orderly, and took the seats assigned them, each class being accompanied by its teacher. When all were comfortably seated, nearly every seat in the church was full. The report of the Nominating Committee was then read and accepted, and the committee discharged; and we proceeded at once to elect the officers by ballot, the committee having simply suggested who should be elected. Ballots large enough to contain the names of all the officers were circulated, and thus all the votes were cast at once. While these were being counted, Bro. Bell and Loughborough made some very interesting remarks on Sabbath-school work. The ballot showed that the school was decidedly in favor of the nomination, and that the following persons were elected: G. H. Bell, Superintendent; W. K. Loughborough, W. C. White, W. C. Sisley, Assistant Superintendents; Eli B. Miller, Secretary; and J. T. Richards and J. Q. Haughey, Assistant Secretaries. Everything passed off without confusion or tediousness, and after singing a song in which some three hundred voices joined, the school closed, all feeling that the time had been profitably and pleasantly spent.