Earlier text: RomanismConstantine.
By J. H. Waggoner
WE must not lose sight of the fact that in making the church attractive Constantine was glorifying himself. While the bishops readily accepted personal favors and counted them as so much gained to the cause of Christ, they in turn seemed to think they were glorifying God by extolling the emperor, with much of the same feeling that actuates the followers of the pope to this day. Thus Neander says:— “It flattered his vanity to be considered the favorite of God, and his destined instrument to destroy the empire of the evil spirits (the heathen deities). The Christians belonging to his court were certainly not wanting on their part to confirm him in this persuasion, having many of them come to the same conclusion themselves, dazzled by the outward splendor which surrounded the emperor, and which passed over from him to the visible church, and by looking at what the imperial power, which nothing any longer withstood, could secure for the outward interests of the church.” “Bishops in immediate attendance upon the emperor so far forgot indeed, to what master they belonged, that at the celebration of the third decennium of his reign one of them congratulated him as constituted by God the ruler over all, in the present world, and destined to reign with the Son of God in the world to come. The feelings of Constantine himself were shocked at such a parallel!”—Neander, pp. 22, 23. Willard, Universal History says:— “Surely it was not in the spirit of Christ who said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world,’ that Constantine made it the religion of the empire; and from henceforth we find its heavenly influence sullied by mingling with earthly things.” Whelpley, in his Compend of History, says:— “From this period, the Christian church was loaded with honor, wealth, and power, nor did her virtue ever sustain a severer trial. The chief dignitaries of the empire could scarcely do less than imitate their master; and Christianity soon became a necessary qualification for public office. The church now no longer appeared in her ancient simplicity and purity; lords and princes were among her converts, and she was dressed in robes of state. Her ceremonies were increased; her forms of worship were loaded with pomp and splendor; her doctrines were intermingled with the senseless jargon of a philosophy equally absurd and vain, and the way seemed prepared, not only for the decay of Christian doctrine and morality, but of every science which distinguishes civilized from savage nations.”—p. 206. Guericke goes so far as to ascribe to Constantine and his unwise course the evils which befell the empire under Julian; and this not without a show of reason, as the following extract gives us to understand:— “Julian, a nephew of Constantine the great, who, when a child, had seen his nearest kindred fall a sacrifice to the jealousy of Constantine, and had been trained up in solitude by worthless teachers for the clerical profession, soon learned to look with a secret bitterness upon the existing state of things, while a Christianity thus forced upon him by a hated court could not take root in his heart.”—Ancient Church, p. 244. With worldly preferments came bitter jealousies between the bishops, and from the time of the Nicene council there was unceasing strife and war of words about doctrines and forms. The example set by Constantine of compelling conformity was followed by the several bishops to whom he had given the power of determining causes in the State as well as in the church. And while his action in that respect was for the purpose of giving uniformity of faith to the churches, it had directly the contrary effect when imitated by a number of bishops as their creeds differed and their powers conflicted. Thus unmistakably does an evil tree bring forth evil fruit, however much men may admire it in its growth. It was in this age that the controversy between the Arians and Trinitarians raged fiercely, and the temporizing policy of Constantine who, in the vain hope of uniting them, now favored this party and now that, served to embitter both parties and to render them more determined and vindictive as their hopes and fears were raised alternately. We may be excused for giving at least one specimen of church literature coming to us from the age immediately succeeding that of Constantine, to show both the spirit and subject of the controversy. It is from the “Orthodox,” or Roman side of the question:— “Since, then, Nestorius, that God-assaulting tongue, that second conclave of Caiaphas, that workshop of blasphemy, in whose case Christ is again made a subject of bargain and sale, by having his nature divided and torn asunder. since, then, he thrust aside and rejected the term, Mother of God, which had been already wrought by the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of many chosen fathers, and substituted a spurious one of his own coining, Mother of Christ.”—Evagrius, History, p. 4. Such effusions as the above, by no means scarce in that age, are worthy of the place they occupied, standing as they did midway between the inquisition and the corrupting influence of Constantine’s conformity acts, which paved the way for the inquisition. We turn now to the consideration of the story of Constantine’s vision of the cross. By those who are wont to ascribe to Constantine the qualities of a genuine Christian, and to extol his actions as of great benefit to the cause of pure religion, this vision has been dwelt upon as an event of the utmost importance, yes, as the very turning point in the struggle between paganism and Christianity. It is to be regretted that so often idle stories will obtain general credence and pass into history for settled truth, because they are suffered to exert an influence which truth alone should be allowed to exert. There are few who have not heard the story that Alexander the Great, after conquering the world, wept because there were no more worlds for him to conquer, and the belief in this story has become so general that it is considered, in the minds of most people, a truth not to be disputed. Yet the story is utterly groundless. This will illustrate our remark. This story about Alexander, however, is entirely harmless. But not so the story of Constantine’s vision of the cross. That has been used as an evidence that he was led by the Lord himself, even in his battles, and that he was the favorite of Heaven, chosen to establish the Christian religion in the Roman empire. Yet history plainly shows that it is only an idle tale. And here, again, we should feel called upon to apologize for the amount of evidence offered were it not that we consider the subject one of real importance. For, surely, if Constantine did see such a vision, if Heaven thus miraculously called him to set up the cross of the Prince of Peace as the standard by which he should establish his empire and slay his enemies; if the life and acts of Constantine were not only favored but directed by the Lord, as his flatterers assumed, that fact should be well attested. But, on the other hand, if it was a mere fable by means of which a superstitious people were deluded into the belief that a selfish, jealous, ambitious warrior was divinely directed in his battles; and if this fable has been, and even yet is used to give influence to systems or forms of worship invented by Constantine or adopted from paganism and forced upon the church by imperial authority, then too much pains cannot be taken to expose the cheat, and thus to rescue the minds of men from the bewildering mazes of traditional error. We may say here with the apostle Paul, “If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant;” that is, any man may choose ignorance if it pleases him. But there is no necessity for remaining so, for no point seems to be made more clear. Whelpley speaks of it thus:— “There are various accounts given and various opinions formed concerning the conversion of Constantine. Whether his mind was swayed by the power of truth, or by temporal, political, and interested motives, is not easy to determine. It is related and believed by some, that his conversion was miraculous. They say, that he saw in the heavens the sign of the cross with this inscription in radiant letters, touto nika, i. e., “By this conquer;” and that upon this, he immediately embraced Christianity. His life and conduct were by no means eminent for Christian virtue; nor was he wholly free from crimes of the deepest dye.”—Compend, p. 206. He discredits the story on the just ground that his life, neither past nor future, gave any evidence of being guided by Heaven or influenced by Christian principles. “The silence not only of all contemporary history, but of Eusebius himself, in his Ecclesiastical History, gives a most dangerous advantage to those who altogether reject the story.”—History, p. 287. Neander takes the same view of the case that is given by Whelpley above:— “But the supposition of a miracle here, is one which has in itself nothing to recommend it, especially when we consider, that the conversion, as it is called, of the Roman emperor, such as it really was, could in no wise possess the same significance in the sight of God, who respected not the person, but looked upon the heart alone, as an acceptable sacrifice, as it had in the eyes of men dazzled and deceived by outward show. In this particular way it is scarcely possible to conceive that a change of heart, which is the only change which deserves to be called a conversion, could have been wrought. Much rather might we presume that, in this way, the emperor would be misled to combine pagan superstition with a mere coloring of Christianity. And were we to judge of the end which this miracle was designed to subserve, by the general consequences of the emperor’s conversion on the Christian church within the Roman empire, it might be questioned whether these consequences were really so benign in their influence on the progress of the kingdom of God, as they were imagined to be, by those persons who, dazzled by outward show, saw in the external power and splendor of the Christian church a triumph of Christianity.” And in this connection he gives an additional fact which is of great importance, namely, that the story was varied to suit the different tastes of the different classes in his army:— “Pagans saw, in this case, the gods of the eternal city engaged to deliver them from the disgraceful yoke. Among them, accordingly, was circulated the legend of a heavenly army, seen in the air, and sent by the gods to the succor of Constantine. Among the Christians, on the other hand, the story was propagated of an appearance of the cross.”—Neander, vol. 2, p. 9. This proves that it was not an appearance which the soldiers professed to see, but merely the story of an appearance, varied to suit the various superstitions of the parties and to give them confidence in their leader in battle. Waddington gives a view of the question as comprehensive as it is concise:— “In the first place, the story which we have shortly given, is related by no contemporary author except Eusebius; next, it is related in his Life of Constantine, and not in his Ecclesiastical History; it is related in the year 338, or six-and-twenty years after the supposed appearance; it is related on the authority of Constantine alone, though it must have been witnessed by his whole army, and notorious throughout his whole empire; and lastly it was published after the death of Constantine. In an age, wherein pious frauds had already acquired some honor; by a writer, who, respectable as he undoubtedly is, and faithful in most of his historical records, does not even profess those rigid rules of veracity which command universal credit; in a book, which rather wears the character of a partial panegyric, than of exact and scrupulous history—a flattering fable might be published and believed; but it can claim no place among the authentic records of history, and by writers, whose only object is truth, it may very safely be consigned to contempt and oblivion.”—Church History, pp. 82, 83. It should be noted that the influence of “Eusebius, the great church historian,” is brought to bear in favor of the story, but it is not related by Eusebius in his history, but only in his eulogy of Constantine, which is generally regarded as not worthy of credit. Dr. Dowling, whose subject led him to a careful examination of this and other events in connection with Constantine’s career, says:— “For my part I have no hesitation in regarding the whole as a fable. It was not till many years after it was said to have occurred, that Constantine related the story to Eusebius, and in all probability, he did it then by the instigation of his superstitious mother, Helena, the celebrated discoverer of the wood of the true cross (?) at Jerusalem, some 250 years after the destruction of that city, and all that it contained, and the disappearance of the identity of its very foundations, under the plowshare of the Roman conqueror Vespasian. The subsequent life of Constantine furnished no evidence that he was a peculiar favorite of Heaven; and the results of his patronage of the church, eventually so disastrous to its purity and spirituality, are sufficient to prove that God would never work a miracle to accomplish such a purpose.”—History of Romanism, p. 31. J. H. WAGGONER.
(To be Continued.) Extremes.
By R. F. Cottrell
GOD loves unity and order. Satan delights in division and disorder; and since man has fallen under his power and influence, there is a tendency in men to take extreme positions, and thus perpetuate discord and confusion. The truth generally lies somewhere between two extremes. Some are of a desponding, and others of a hopeful, turn of mind. The former see themselves so vile that they can scarcely hope in God's mercy; while the extreme hopefulness of the latter tends to presumption. Now Satan does not care which way he ensnares them, whether in fearfulness and unbelief, or in presumptuous confidence and spiritual pride. If he can discourage the one and flatter the other, his object is gained. If he can make the desponding think that it is impossible for him ever to attain to the sanctification and righteousness required in the word of God, he is satisfied, as long as he can hold him there; and if he can make the hopeful imagine that he has attained to a state of such perfection that there is no danger of falling, he has him in a snare which, if not broken, will prove his ruin. The one is condemned for fearing to trust God's word of promise, and consequently making no earnest effort to overcome; the other for a presumptuous confidence that renders such effort unnecessary. "It is a wily, artful scheme,
It suits the serpent well,
If he can make the sinner dream
That he is doomed to hell.
Or if he can persuade a man
Decrees are on his side,
Then he will say without delay,
This cannot be untied.
The one he bindeth fast in pride,
The other in despair;
If he can only keep them tied,
Which way he does not care." He that would overcome, must steer his vessel clear of the whirlpool on the one hand, and the rocks on the other. In sickness nothing (except death) is more to be dreaded than a relapse; a return of disease is much more dangerous and difficult than the first attack; so in spiritual things, when a victory is followed by a falling back into sin, a recovery is often hopeless. This is well described by our Lord in the account he gives of the casting out of the evil spirit, who, being cast out, wandered through dry places, seeking rest and finding none—says to himself, I will return to the place from which I came out. Doing this, and finding it empty, swept, and garnished, he takes seven other spirits worse than himself, and enters in; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. The fort being taken, is left empty. Here is the fatal mistake. The enemy returns now reinforced, and holds it as his own. In neglect of military rules, should a general thus proceed, he would soon be relieved of his command, and his fall would be certain. In spiritual things, there is a similarity in this respect, and to forget this principle is fatal. In each victory there is a solemn consideration of future conflict with the powers of darkness, who will assuredly return to retake the citadel from which they have been driven. Let us beware in our seasons of rest; for such seasons of peace and quiet may be followed by severe conflict. For Satan loves to attack us when we are off our guard; and any advantage he can thus gain, he will surely avail himself of. Let us not leave the house empty, unguarded, but seek for the guardianship of God's Spirit, and good angels. We should never forget the difference between being humble and being humbled. We are often humbled because we are not humble; and the wise Christian has learned that when exalted by the "flesh," he may next expect a thorn in the flesh. If something occurs to puff us up, something will be sure to occur to bring us down, for our Father loves his children too well to allow them to leave their place of entire dependence upon him, self-emptied in his presence. "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged," 1 Cor. 11 : 31; and the failure to keep humble often forces upon Him the necessity of humbling us into the dust, "for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."—Ex. AN exchange informs us that at the recent great cattle show in Islington, England, large numbers of cattle were seized with fatal symptoms of disease from the noxious character of the exhalations with which they were surrounded in densely crowded and ill-ventilated stables. This does not seem at all strange to any one acquainted with the conditions requisite to animal health; but the reporter adds that many of the animals died, and it was found necessary to slaughter more than fifty of them in order to287 save their flesh! Quite likely the diseased carcasses are already consumed by unsuspecting flesh-eaters, and are doing their work of generating disease and hastening death. An illustrated paper gives a revolting picture of several large hogs which were also on exhibition on the same occasion, remarking that "their fortunate owner received a silver cup in recognition of his success in raising the most monstrous specimens of brutish obesity to be found in England." This eminent success had been attained by literally stuffing the brutes with mangel-wurzel and oil-cake. When we consider that such a condition is one the most thoroughly diseased, what reason can be given why the keepers of such monsters should not be fined for cruelty to animals, and the venders held accountable for the horrid train of ills which inevitably follow their use as food?—Health Reformer. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.” Eccl. 11: 6. It is said that “talk is cheap,” which implies that words are of no particular value, and could they be made an article of merchandise, bought and sold, would bring but little, at the present time, as the market is full. It is true there is a certain kind of talk that the world is full of, the market is clier, and is indeed cheap; it is compared to chaff which the wind carries away. Talk is composed of words. They may be words of vanity, boastful, full of conceit and bigotry. They may be words of envy which from the natural heart, one not imbued with the divine Spirit, flows a stream of darkened water embittered with envious and sarcastic words that blast and wither as they go. These are “devouring words” that the deceitful tongue loveth. They are cruel and unmerciful words, like a “sharp razor” wounding, leaving hearts all lacerated and bleeding, without one healing touch. Of such talk the world is full; it cries, enough. There is a kind of talk, however, that is never over abundant. It is a kind that the world is in perishing need of. The market will never be overflowing with this kind. Its price is high. It is invaluable—more precious than rubies. It is compared to “apples of gold in pictures of silver.” It is that kind of talk that emanates from a heart renewed by the Spirit of God. It is that kind of talk that has healing in its wings. It is full of charity. It loveth mercy and has compassion. It pities the unfortunate. It comforts the afflicted and sorrowing. It supports the weak and trembling, and gives courage to the desponding. Such is its mission, and its field is a world-wide one. Sorrowing, afflicted, and disappointed hearts are all around us, and while this is the case, shall we, members of the T. and M. Society, sit idly down and mourn that nature has been so sparing in its gifts to us in not endowing us with greater ability to do good? As we look over the vast missionary field as it extends from continent to continent, from ocean to ocean, and to the lone islands of the sea, and see the work that is being wrought, and hear the cry “come and help us,” we wish for greater ability to do, and forget, perhaps, the work that lies at our own door. There is work to be done. We need not stand idly by excusing ourselves from doing because we possess the one talent only. Shall we not rather bless the Father of all good that he has provided a way whereby all, both great and small, he having one talent as well as he who has ten, may and can work for him. We may not be blessed with the gift of eloquent speech to persuade men to become reconciled to God, but we can have, by the blessing of Heaven, hearts to feel for others woe, can weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice, and more than this, we are provided liberally with tracts and papers that are written with the greatest care. With a heart prepared for the work, watching for opportunities for a careful and wise distribution of these precious documents we will find work to do for the Master. And as these papers pass from our hands into others may a silent prayer ascend that God’s blessing may attend. Let us not be weary in the work of the Lord; but ever bear in mind the injunction of the wise man, “Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.” May the work of the Tract Society widen and deepen each succeeding week is the prayer of one who has an interest in the missionary work. A. M. DRISCALL. The Work of the Lord in Other Tongues.
By A. B. Oyen
We are receiving letters from time to time from different parts of this country and also from Denmark, which go to show that the silent messengers which have been sent there have done a good work. The Spirit of the Lord seems to follow the tracts and magazines, and persons who have never heard a sermon on the subject are embracing the truth from reading a few tracts or perhaps from reading the Tidende a half year or a year. And these persons who thus embrace the truth receive not only the theory, but also the love for it, and feel interested and anxious to have their neighbors and friends enlightened in regard to it. The following is a translation from a brother in Marquette Co., Wis.:— "Dear brother in the Lord: It must certainly encourage you to continue your labor in the vineyard of the Lord with zeal, when you learn something of the fruits of your labors in this vicinity. The Advent Tidende comes a welcome guest to our family circle. My wife and I have now commenced to keep the holy Sabbath of the Lord; and it is solely from reading the Tidende that we have been enlightened in regard to the truth that 'the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God' under the Christian as well as under the Jewish and Patriarchal dispensations. The other truths advocated in the Tidende have been held by us for several years as precious truths of the Lord. There are several Danish families here who are respected for their uprightness and morality, and who seek to live up to the best light they have. Nearly all of them read the Tidende, and it is my prayer to God that they may 'come to a knowledge of the truth,' and that 'the truth may make them free.' May the Lord help us to work while the day lasts; the night cometh when no man can work." Another brother writes that he has been reading the Tidende since the beginning of this year. He has also read the pamphlet entitled, "The New Testament Sabbath," and this, he says, has been the means in the hands of God of turning him from the pope's Sabbath to the Sabbath of the Lord. He writes also to inquire the price of sending the Tidende to Denmark, and says he will send it to all his friends who will read it. He also feels interested for his American neighbors and wishes some English tracts to scatter among them. Another writes that some friend has sent him the Tidende since the beginning of the year, and although he does not know who it is, he feels thankful to him. He finds truth in what he reads, and feels interested to investigate still further. These things are encouraging to those who labor on the periodicals, and who feel interested in seeing the work go forward. If we are faithful in doing our part, the Lord will add his blessing.— A. B. Oyen, in Review and Herald. Planting Hill by Hill.
By Guide to Holiness
"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand."—Eccl. 11:6. In God's furrowed fields around us,
He has work for all who will;
Those who may not scatter broadcast,
Yet may plant it hill by hill.
Yearning hearts are often near us,
Conscious of their Spirit-need;
These are hills prepared by Heaven
To receive the precious seed.
Shall we find these hills and plant them?
Shall we scatter while we may?
Or shall idle hands stand waiting
Till the seed-time pass away?
Glory waits the faithful workmen
Who perform their Master's will;
Then, O Christians! will ye weary
Of this planting hill by hill?
Soon life's spring-time will be over
And its autumn days will come;
Happy then will be those workmen
Who have sheaves to carry home. One Year Ago and Now.
By W. C. White
If the prospects of our cause on this coast were encouraging one year ago, they are ten times as cheering now. One year ago the third number of the SIGNS had just been printed. The paper was started amid many difficulties, and was sent out with the earnest prayers of its friends, for the obstacles in the way of making such a paper a success upon this coast, looked almost insurmountable. But it was sent out in faith, and now its weekly edition of four thousand copies, finds its way not only to all parts of the Pacific States and Territories, but to the eastern and southern states, to England, Spain, Switzerland, and Australia, bringing in scores of responses from those who from its pages have gained light on Bible truths, and are now rejoicing in a new hope. One year ago, the tent-meeting in Oakland had drawn nearly to a close, and (July 14) twenty-three were baptized in Lake Merritt. To-day this church numbers fifty members. Last Sabbath, the Sabbath-school numbered eighty-five, scholars and teachers. Besides this a Bible Class of from twenty to thirty meet in the afternoon, to study the “Nature and Destiny of Man.” In our last Sabbath meeting many were led to review the mercies of the year. With some it was the anniversary of their first Sabbath kept. Said one brother of the tent meetings: “It was the last call to the supper which forced and compelled men to come in. The truth was made so plain and clear, and was so forced upon our minds that although we did not wish to obey it, we could not resist its power.” One year ago Bro. and sister Van Horn had just begun the good work in Washington Territory. Now there is a commodious meeting-house built in Walla Walla, and the interest is spreading all through the Walla Walla Valley. Let the good work go on. Sister Canright says that Bro. C. reports twenty-five keeping the Sabbath in Gilroy, and these are talking of building a meeting-house. The tent may go to Hollister next. BRETHREN LANE and Kenyon, who are now laboring with the tent in Ligonier, Noble Co., Ind., give the following interesting report of the work in that place: "The introduction of the Sabbath question has aroused not only the people in the village, but those in the immediate country for miles around. The congregations have ranged from two to seven hundred. Sabbath, the 12th, in the afternoon, held a Bible Class as our first Sabbath exercise. Quite a large number present. "Last Sabbath, June 19, held our first Sabbath meeting; about one hundred present. At the conclusion of the discourse, took a vote to ascertain who had determined to observe the Sabbath. Our hearts were made to rejoice to see thirty-five arise. In the afternoon held a second Bible Class. Fully one hundred were present. "There are some thirty families of Jews residing here. They have a synagogue, and each Sabbath they hold a morning service. Many of them are quite wealthy, and control, to a great extent, the business of this place, a town of about three thousand inhabitants. Some of them keep the Sabbath, but the business men keep open their places of business. Quite a number of them have attended our meetings. Some seem interested. The presentation of the Sabbath question has not only pleased but aroused them. Yesterday, first day, held a meeting to consider the idea of observing the Sabbath more strictly by closing their business houses. All agreed so to do with one or two dissenting voices. They expect, as soon as they get the consent of all, to publish a date at which time they expect to close up business on the Sabbath. Some of them who have attended our meetings have purchased books and are reading. I mention this to illustrate the power of the Sabbath reform in the light of the third angel's message, in affecting all classes and nations. "Have sold thus far about sixteen dollars' worth of publications. The interest is still good and we trust through the blessing of the Lord that quite a number will be soundly converted and embrace the truth." Harvest of Blessing from Seed of Sorrow.
THERE is not in the whole area of future life a single plot of stony ground which shall not yield us fertile harvests of joy. The hand of divine love transmute every trial and affliction into everlasting joy for his people. Two seeds lie before us—the one is warmed in the sun, the other falls from the sower's hand into the cold, dark earth, and there it lies buried beneath the soil. That seed which suns itself in the noontide beam may rejoice in the light in which it basks, but it is liable to be devoured by the bird; and certainly naught can come of it, however long it may linger above ground; but the other seed, hidden beneath the clods in a damp, dark sepulchre, soon swells, germinates, bursts its sheath, upheaves the mould, springs up a green blade, buds, blossoms, becomes a flower, exhales perfume and loads the wings of every wind. Better far for the seed to pass into the earth and die, than lie in the sunshine and produce no fruit; and even thus for thee the future in its sorrow shall be a sowing in a fertile land; tears shall moisten thee, grace shall increase within thee, and thou shalt grow up in the likeness of thy Lord unto perfection of holiness, to be such a flower of God's own planting as even angels shall delight to gaze upon in the day of thy transplanting to celestial soil. Every Man’s Sin Is Everybody’s Business
No man can do an unmanly thing without inflicting an injury on the whole human race. No man can say, "I can do as I choose, and it will be nobody’s business!" Every man’s sin is everybody’s business literally. Every sin shakes men’s confidence in men, and becomes, whatever its origin, the enemy of mankind; and all mankind have a right to make common cause in its extermination. Requisites of a Good Conversationalist
By Johann Kaspar Lavater
HE that sedulously attends, pointedly asks, calmly speaks, cooly answers, and ceases when he has no more to say, is in possession of some of the best requisites of man.—Lavater. THERE is many a rest in the road of life,
If we only would stop to take it;
And many a tone from the better land,
If the querulous heart would make it;
To the sunny soul that is full of hope,
And whose beautiful trust ne'er faileth,
The grass is green and the flowers are bright,
Though the wintry storm prevaileth. Better to hope, though the clouds hang low,
And keep the eyes still lifted;
For the sweet blue sky will soon peep through,
When the ominous clouds are rifted.
There was never a night without a day,
Or an evening without a morning;
And the darkest hour, as the proverb goes,
Is the hour before the dawning. There is many a gem in the path of life,
Which we pass in our idle pleasure,
That is richer far than the jeweled crown,
Or the miser's hoarded treasure;
It may be the love of a little child,
Or a mother's prayer to Heaven,
Or only a beggar's grateful thanks
For a cup of water given. Better to weave in the web of life
A bright and golden filling,
And to do God's will with a ready heart,
And hands that are swift and willing,
Than to snap the minute, delicate threads
Of our curious lives asunder,
And then blame Heaven for the tangled ends,
And sit and grieve and wonder. Health Department.
By J. H. K.
A FEW months ago we called attention to some of the villainous adulterations practiced by manufacturers of sirup. It will be seen by the following paragraph from the Western Rural that the public is becoming somewhat aroused upon this subject. As previously stated, a convenient test for the spurious article is to pour a little into a cup of tea which will become black. Here is the article which appears under the heading given above. "Probably there are very few articles of daily consumption which are not adulterated in a more or less vile manner. One of the most scoundrelly impositions that unscrupulous rascals practice upon a long-suffering public is the scandalous compound sold as sugar sirup. It is asserted that nearly fifty per cent. of the articles sold under the seductive names of golden sirup, silver drips, etc., is a rank poison, formed by the action of sulphuric acid upon some of the substances containing the essential material of wood fiber. The quantity of sulphuric acid used to form sugar by this process is so great that it cannot be thoroughly extracted from the product. It leaves enough to be dangerous even to the stomachs of robust men—excessively so to the more delicate organizations of children, who use far more of the article than grown persons. "Since public attention has been called to this rascality, many instances have come to light of mysterious sicknesses which disappeared on the use of this breakfast dainty being discontinued. Severe burning pains at the stomach and racking headaches are among the lighter symptoms of sirup-poisoning. A case is mentioned where the cork in a keg of sirup, sent for the use of a lumberman's camp was found to be nearly eaten away. Fancy a vile drug which will corode cork, gnawing away at the coats of one's stomach. "Fortunately, the detection of the pernicious stuff is easy. A small quantity of muriate or nitrate of baryta, mixed with water makes a clear solution. If to this be added a small quantity of sulphuric acid a white precipitate is formed, which is insoluble in water. Tannin also gives a black precipitate, unless the acid has been neutralized by albumen. "If any of our readers have reason for looking upon their matutinal syrup with suspicion let them at once take a sample to a chemist and have it analyzed. If found to be dangerous, let the makers and retailers be prosecuted with the same vigor that wholesale murderers would meet with."