The Wine Dealer's Gazette says: "The worthy German who takes his beer with his family in the evening, will not submit to have his children taught at school that his favorite beverage is a poison."
When the majority of the people of this country decide that they will have their children taught in the public schools the truth about alcohol and its effect on mind and body, the minority of Germans who don't want their children taught plain lessons of truth, as science has revealed them, need not submit. There is a regular packet line between New York and Hamburg, and they will not be obliged to stay and submit to the rule of the majority.
The lesson-books on alcohol are rapidly being introduced into the public schools of this country, and most parents regard it as a matter of more importance that their children be taught the nature and effects of alcohol than to know the length of the longest river, or the height of the highest mountain.
We are glad to know that there are plenty of good, sober, law-abiding Germans in this country, who do want their children taught the truth about everything.—The Christian Woman.
The Uses of Alcohol
ALCOHOL was invented 950 years ago in Arabia, and was used by ladies with a powder for painting their faces. Since that time it has been used mainly by gentlemen for painting their noses, and used in a plain state because they required no powder to fire them off.
WHY WAS THERE NO REVIVAL?
By W. M. F. Round
STATE, county and section of country shall be nameless, but we'll call the place Smithville—not its name at all, nor anything like it, but one that will do admirably as a word on which to hang a parable.
There were in Smithville two churches—which, just to distinguish them, we will call the orthodox church and the extra-orthodox church. They were both evangelical churches, and so long as they were—names don't count for much, especially in a story like this. The people of Smithville believed in Smithville, and seldom went away from Smithville. The old families had married and intermarried, until nearly everybody was cousin to somebody else. There were few new-comers, as there was nothing in particular to attract people to the town. The orthodox church was the strongest and the oldest religious body in the place, and its pastor had been settled over it for ten years and a little more—a remarkably long pastorate, when one considers how exacting and critical the Smithvillians are. The extra-orthodox church was a newer organization, with a small society, a young minister, and far more active and far less fashionable than the orthodox society. There was another religious organization in Smithville, the Young Men's Christian Association, which I am sorry to say was not very aggressive in its work, and though it had its feeble prayer-meetings, they were very much like the meetings of a pietistic mutual admiration society. There was a good deal of bragging done in these meetings, of course in a perfectly sanctimonious way—but bragging is not edifying under any circumstances, least of all in a religious meeting. I am glad to say that the Smithville Young Men's Christian Association was not a typical one.
One day in early summer it so happened that the orthodox minister and the extra-orthodox minister and the Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association met at a Temperance Convention, and sat together at the collation that was provided. The conversation turned naturally enough to the one topic in which they mutually professed to be interested—the spiritual condition of Smithville.
"It is quite time," said the young extra-orthodox minister, "that we made an organized effort for the salvation of souls. The young people are given to all manner of worldliness, and don't come to the prayer-meetings, and there is a lukewarmness among the church members that is positively disheartening. There has been no revival here for fifteen years—and something is wrong. For my part, I feel guilty."
"Well," said the Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, "I don't know what we can do. We've enlarged our library—and though they come and take out books, they won't come to our meetings. We tried having a cornet to lead the singing; it drew a crowd to that one meeting—but the rest were as poorly attended as ever. I don't understand it. I think the young people around here are gospel-hardened."
The Secretary omitted to say, because he didn't know it, that when they got together a crowd with their cornet, they had nothing in the way of spiritual food to feed the hungry souls with. The cornet as a means of grace is a very poor failure—if there is only a cornet.
The orthodox minister agreed with his extra-orthodox brother—only remarking that his people were a very conservative people, and it took them a long time to get waked up. "Conservative"—is a word that often stands for lazy, and is more respectable if less forcible.
So agreeing on the need of a revival, for that is really what they meant, they further agreed to meet at the extra-orthodox parsonage on the next Monday evening to talk over the matter. They wisely decided, also, to ask some pious souls and some church-pillars to meet with them.
The meeting took place according to agreement, and there was a unanimous opinion expressed that it was high time something was done. They proposed that a series of meetings be held, and the young minister, full of zeal, suggested that they should begin at once—the very next week. That the first meeting should be one of consecration, and that the meetings should continue in unity of prayer, until God revealed to them his will.
Deacon Boodle said that nobody could have the good of the community, the "spiritual" good, more at heart than he had, but there was, as St. Paul had said, such a thing as expediency, and that he thought it wouldn't be much use to have the meetings begin until after haying. Folks wouldn't come if they did. It was every man's duty to provide for his family, and haying was a part of providing.
The Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association said that they'd contemplated having an ice cream festival and tableaux to get money for buying pictures for their rooms. He thought it was their duty to make their rooms attractive. He didn't think that the meeting had better begin till after their festival. The festival would be sure to distract the minds of the young people; and for his own part he couldn't see how he could enter upon the blessed work as he should like to, until their festival was over. He hoped that when they did have the meetings they would make them attractive. The Association would furnish the services of a cornetist, and he didn't know but that an orchestra could be gotten up among the members. Whatever the brethren decided on they might be sure of his unqualified support—after the festival.
Old Mr. Fogy said:—
"I'm an old man, and I've been servin' the Lord for pretty nigh forty year, an' I don't know but I'm so old-fashioned I'd ought to keep still an' let the younger brethren do the talkin'"—
"Go on—go on, brother," said the young minister.
"Well, all I was goin' to say was that plannin' these meetin's that you're talkin' about, seemed to be kind o' takin' the work out o' the Lord's hands. I's pose if the Lord wanted a revival in Smithville there'd be a revival. Seems to me we'd all on us ought to learn to wait on the Lord. His time ain't always our'n. We can't dictate times and seasons to the Almighty. We've all been prayin' in our closets for the descent of the Spirit in this place. The usual means of grace ain't been neglected. We've all stood in our lot an' place—an' for one, I don't think 'twould be right to try an' hurry the Almighty. I s'pose if our young folks is 'lected to be saved they'll be saved, an' if they're 'lected to be lost they'll be lost. Seems to me if they'd only 'tend on the means of grace they have, they wouldn't need no other."
So the old man went on—and when he was fairly tired out he sat down. His remarks seemed like a wet blanket on the meeting; but the two ministers rallied, and though nothing was decided, everybody felt that something should be done. After the meeting broke up the two ministers stayed behind and knelt in prayer for divine guidance. When they parted, they had set a time for a beginning of the special meetings. They were to begin on the first Monday in October, and continue on indefinitely.
The very next day a fire broke out in the woods near Smithville. It spread and spread, and all the village turned out to help put it out. Men neglected their fields to go and fight the fire. "What," they said, "do you expect us to stop and work at home, while our neighbors' property is being destroyed and our own is in danger?" They didn't stop to eat. "Give me something in my hand, and let me get away to the woods. I couldn't sit at a table, and think of that fire spreading. No time to eat, when property is destroyed." That was the way they talked.
Still the fire spread. Men and boys and women all went to the woods. The women prepared meals there by the wood-side, where they could hear the crackling of the flames. Nobody thought of rest; night and day they worked, with a common will in a common interest. At last the fire was subdued, and then men returned to their own work, and found that their farms had not suffered so very much, after all.
The season soon sped away—and October came. On the first Sunday of October each of the ministers preached a sermon on the necessity of times of refreshing in the spiritual life, and appointed meetings—special meetings for earnest prayer—to be held every night during the coming week. They begged, they entreated, they admonished their hearers to attend these meetings, and spend much time in prayer and preparation for them.
Monday dawned, and everybody went to work as usual, the farmers to cram fuller their barns with gathered crops, the farmers' wives to do their weekly washing, which if not done on Monday, upsets the household economy of the whole week.
Evening came, the chapel of the orthodox church was lighted up, and there dropped in tardily something like a score of people. The Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association was there, but confessed he felt coldly towards the effort about to be made. He said he did not approve of the methods adopted. That the meetings were not likely to prove attractive. That for his own part, he thought that more brightness would have characterized the meetings if their cornetist had been allowed to lead the singing; since the ministers had flatly both refused the cornetist, and frowned down all mention of an orchestra, he frankly declared that he couldn't hope much from the meetings—and behaved accordingly.
A few zealous souls there were in the room, and they prayed heartily for an outpouring of a special blessing. But where were the two or three hundred church members—men and women who professed much, and were "glad to be workers in the Lord's vineyard"? so they said at covenant and preparatory meetings. Where were they? Why let them answer for themselves—at least a few of them.
Mrs. Boodle said she was sorry she couldn't go to the meeting; but she was so beat out washing-days, that she didn't feel able to get out, and she kept Melinda home for company. She was with them in spirit, she said, all the time—and her prayers were going up for them all. This, however, was only a figure of speech, for one or two neighbors had dropped in at Mrs. Boodle's, and she had talked with them incessantly while she and Melinda were paring apples and chopping meat for mince-pies. They hadn't talked about meetings, either.
Old Mr. Fogy said the meetin's had been started against his advice, and though he wished them well, he didn't feel called upon to take any part in them. He thought he was serving the Lord better by staying at home and reading his Bible. He read just ten verses of the Bible, and he read ten columns of the county paper.
Brother Campbell, who kept the village store, said 'twas useless for him to think of getting out evenings. He had to keep his store open to accommodate his neighbors. The neighbors accommodated were generally a dozen or so of men, who sat about his store, chewed tobacco, talked about their neighbors, and sometimes played a game or two of dominoes.
Brother Smithkins said that it was a dreadful cross to him to stay at home, but that he had just put steam-power into his cider-mill, and two new presses. Said he, "I'm so druv that I have to keep the ole mill goin' evenin's, an' nobody understan's the machinery but me. I couldn't let folkses apples lay an' rot. If the meetin's hold on till November, I guess I shall be able to go some."
Sister Smithkins said, "Ez for my part, those meetin's couldn't have come in a wus time of year. Jest gettin' the children's winter clothes ready, and Anna Maria goin' to be married Thanksgiving, an' all her clothes to get ready. Seems as if there's a fate against my havin' any spiritual privileges, though there ain't a woman in these parts that appreciates 'em more."
Brother Goshen said that he lived so far from the meeting-house that he couldn't very well get there without harnessing up, and his horses worked so hard daytimes that he didn't like to have them out nights. If they'd only have443"neighborhood meetin's," they might come to his house as often as they liked.
And so it went on, in every house an excuse. Real good excuses, too. The Bible excuses—"bought a piece of ground"—"bought five yoke of oxen"—"married a wife"—were indeed unreasonable beside them.
The meeting languished, those who were there felt that there was no great, uplifting, manifest presence of the Lord. They prayed a good deal, but not with much assurance. They exhorted a good deal, but not with much fervor. They sung a little, and very feebly. The Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association said that he knew it would be just so if they didn't have a cornet.
On Tuesday evening there were two or three less present. The meeting was indeed dull. There is no other word for it. It was disheartening, in spite of the honest prayers of those who did attend. It closed promptly at the end of an hour, and the only hymn that was sung with any spirit was "Hallelujah! 'tis done," which one of the sisters had struck without a thought of how inapt it was.
From the first the meetings were moribund, and they died on Friday night, when there was a little storm of misty rain, and only five souls came to the chapel. The ministers concluded not to continue the meetings even for another night. The ministers were men, and subject to the infirmities of the flesh—among them depression of spirits. The Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association said he had known from the first that it would be just so. All the church members in Smithville, who had not attended the meetings, gave a sigh of relief when they were over. Their continuance thus far had been a thorn in their consciences.
On the following Monday there was an Old Folks' Concert in the town of Bilburn, eight miles away. Brother Goshen got up a load at fifty cents a ticket to go over. He harnessed his four horses, and took in sister Smithkins and all her family, and brother Smithkins stopped his mill to go too. Sister Smithkins said the children needed a little frolic, and she guessed they would be willing to wait a day or two longer for their winter clothes. Sister Boodle went too; she said it always kind of rested her to ride out in the evening after washing. Brother Campbell shut up his store, and said he guessed for one night "them loafers could manage to loaf somewhere else—an' that for his part he'd got about tired of staying at home night arter night to keep a club-room." It rained a little when they started, but they all put on their water-proofs, and nobody was the worse for it. They didn't get back to Smithville until about midnight; but they said they could sleep a little longer in the morning. It was an excellent concert, and they all enjoyed it. Riding home they talked about all kinds of things, and among others the "protracted" meetings of the last week were spoken of. And everybody wondered why there had not been a revival? And they wonder to this day!—W. M. F. Round, in Examiner and Chronicle.
The Home Circle.
IN THE SHADOW.
I WALK through darkened paths, yet know
My Father marks the way I go;
I cannot see his tender smile,
But feel his clasping hand the while;
And since he heeds the sparrow's fall,
I trust his love, in spite of all.
Borne through the dark by loving arms,
I sometimes shrink with vague alarms,
Yet closer cling, that I may hear
The voice that whispers in mine ear.
"Oh, trembling soul," it says to me,
"Rest in the love that clings to thee."
I cannot tell if long the way
By which I go, through night to day;
But, soon or late, I know my feet
Will walk in sunshine, broad and sweet;
And, soon or late, before mine eyes
The radiant hills of peace uprise. —Sel.
ITEMS OF NEWS.
—A tank containing 30,000 barrels of oil was struck by lightning and consumed, at Bradford, Pa., on the 23d.
—A terrific gale on the Danish coast Sept. 22, has caused great destruction of property. Thirty ships and smacks are already reported lost.
—September 19, a lamp exploded in the millinery store of Miss Irene Hull at Texarkana, Ark. The fire spread and destroyed a block of buildings. Loss, $60,000.
—French religious communities own real estate in France worth over $140,000,000, and it is averred that they own much more under cover of private individual names.
—In 1842 the assessed valuation of property in the United States, was $2,574,940,000; in 1852 it was $6,117,531,013; in 1860, $12,044,083,615; in 1870, $13,898,096,899; in 1880, $16,258,064,100.
—The national expenditures of Europe in 1880 were $2,282,800,000 or an average to every person of $10.15. Our expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1880, were $267,642,957, or an average of $5.35 to each inhabitant.
—Another bold train robbery occurred in Arkansas on the 22d. The express train was boarded near Prescott, by three armed men, who robbed the passengers and the safe of about $18,000. A large reward is offered for their arrest.
—Ellis Lever, of Manchester, England, has suggested to the American Consul in that city the establishment of an International College, to be called the Garfield University, as a memorial to the late President Garfield, and offers to contribute $10,000 towards its erection.
—Queen Victoria has given a token of respect to the memory of our murdered President, as touching as it is unprecedented. She has ordered the English Court to go into mourning for one week from the 21st inst. No similar notice has ever before been taken of the death of an American President in office.
—Count Campello, the priest of the Basilica of St. Peters, in Rome, who has abjured Catholicism, stated in a recent discourse, that one reason for his action was that he objected to remaining in a church which prevented a man from expressing sentiments toward his country and government which a patriot should cherish.
—The United States Consul at Maracaibo, Venezuela, writes that owing to locusts and drought the Goazira Indians are driven to desperation by hunger, mothers offering their children for sale, in order to purchase food. The people of Maracaibo are offering rewards for dead insects, and 8000 pounds have been collected in one day.
—In London recently large quantities of imitation honey-comb, filled with glucose instead of honey, were found exposed for sale. The boxes bore the stamp of the New York Custom House, and were labeled "Sweet Clover Honey." The honey-comb had been made by machinery out of paraffine wax, and, after the cells were filled with glucose, a hot iron had been passed over the wax tops, thus closing them. The glucose had been made to resemble honey in both its taste and appearance.
THE ASSASSIN.
By Editor
Of the many comments of the public press of the country on the inefficiency of our criminal jurisprudence, we have seen none more pointed than the following from the San Francisco Chronicle. Our jury system is radically defective. Probably a jury cannot be found in the United States sufficiently ignorant and indifferent to meet the demands of Court rulings in such a case as this. Of a surety, “Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Isa. 59:14:—
“It is announced from Washington that Guiteau cannot be convicted in that city of the murder of President Garfield, for the reason that the laws of the District of Columbia are so peculiar on the subject that the death of the President at Long Branch practically nullifies the crime. The average reader will very readily concede the peculiarity of such laws, and likewise regard them with contempt. There is some reason for believing that technicalities will be raised in Guiteau’s case, and if he cannot be convicted at Washington, a long hunt through old books will probably be necessary to ascertain if he can be convicted at Long Branch. Between the two seats of “justice” there is some danger that the wretch will escape his deserts. What a circumstance it would appear to foreign nations, what a commentary it would be on our boasted ability to make our own laws, if technicalities should save his worthless life. The Chief Magistrate of our fifty millions of people is shot down in cold blood because he refuses to make a buffoon Minister to England. After several weeks of intense suffering he expires, and then for the wretch who has wrought such disaster, and brought grief and disturbance to the whole country, a petty punishment is allotted that is a mere bid for assassination to become a leading feature of our Government. It is to be earnestly hoped that nothing of this kind will occur.
Some days ago, General Sherman was indignant that a Sergeant of the regular army should attempt to shoot Guiteau in his cell, and a court-martial has already been ordered for the undoubted conviction of the Sergeant; but the conviction of Guiteau is thought to be impossible—at least, in Washington—and who knows what technical obstacle may be encountered in New Jersey. The whole matter looks like a burlesque. The civil Courts and laws throughout the country are becoming so impotent for the punishment of crime that murder is everywhere committed almost with impunity. Is it any wonder that troops have had to be kept under arms at Washington in order to preserve the assassin until he could be delivered to the Courts for possible ultimate acquittal? Imagine a Court at Washington virtually announcing that Garfield has not been murdered; that Guiteau is not an assassin; that all the excitement of the past three months has been a mere hideous nightmare without foundation in fact, and a striking illustration is presented of the relations between American law, justice, and common sense. “Respect the law!” is a cry continually heard. People cannot respect laws that are imbecile for the purposes of public and private security. The difference between “tweedledum and tweedledee” is killing the American judicial system. The living spirit of the law is no longer regarded. It has been banished to make room for quibbles, precedents, technicalities and dry phraseology as barren of justice as the shriveled seeds of a withered pumpkin. When a gross crime has been committed, public indignation is intense; threats are silenced by stale appeals to “the majesty of the law;” then follows the legerdemain of a trial, and the murderer’s neck is saved. A law that the guilty can appeal to with serene confidence; that makes a tender object of solicitude of the red-handed murderer, and that turns him loose on society to commit still other crimes, possesses no majesty, and is entitled only to universal contempt. It is to be hoped that the news from Washington on this subject is premature, and that if no law exists there to punish Guiteau, enough may be found at Long Branch to answer the purpose.
In any event, attention should be widely awakened to the necessity of sweeping reforms in the methods of criminal procedure throughout the country. So long as our Courts are simply establishments for protecting, pampering, and acquitting murderers, the latter will be numerously forthcoming, and threats of mob violence will continue to be heard at the commission of any startling crime. If no reform of our Courts and laws is effected, necessity, which “knows no law,” will finally compel society to protect itself by the summary execution of all murderers seized at the scene of their brutal deeds. There is yet time to avert so serious an evil.
Obituary.
By L. D. Santee
VAN NOSTRAND.—Died near Sedan, Chetauque Co., Kansas, Jonathan Van Nostrand, in the fifty-third year of his age. He never heard an Advent sermon until our tent was pitched in this place, but he had received some of our tracts, and through reading became a Sabbath-keeper about four months ago. His disease was congestion of the bowels, and his sickness lasted only one week. The first evening of our meeting, he came to us and grasping our hand said, with tears in his eyes, "I can't tell you how earnestly I have hoped and prayed that the Lord would send us some Adventist preaching." He leaves a wife and four children to mourn their loss. Funeral services by the writer, from 1 Cor. 15:55. L. D. SANTEE.
THE HOME HAND-BOOK.
By Editor
WE ARE ANXIOUS TO SECURE GOOD MEN, WHO either are, or are likely to become, competent Agents. To such we can yet offer
Some Very Important Counties on the Coast.
The work being simple and practical in its directions, and an obvious necessity in every country household, it is an easy work for an Agent to handle.
We have just shipped ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY COPIES to one Agent in a thinly populated southern county, the orders for which were taken in
A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS.
The same Agent has taken ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY subscriptions for "GOOD HEALTH."
Correspondence Invited—Write for Circular.
Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.
"It is a wonderful book."—John B. Gough.
"In constant service since it came."—Prof. T. C. Abbott, A. M., D. D., President of the Michigan State Agricultural Society.
"Of far more value in the home than any luxury in food or furniture."—F. F. Jewell, D. D., San Jose.
"I have no hesitancy in saying this work is worth its weight in coin to any one who will study its teachings and practice its precepts."—B. Cogshall, M. D., President Flint Academy of Medicine, Mich.
Comparative New Testament Edition
By Editor
THE COMPARATIVE EDITION -OF THE- NEW TESTAMENT, EMBRACING THE Revised and the Old or King James Versions, on Opposite and Corresponding Pages.
8 Vo. Long Primer, Price $1.50. 16 mo. Brevier. Price 75 cts. Postage Paid.
AS THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE in the revision of the New Testament are now exciting a great deal of interest, and comparision between the New and Old Versions will be constantly made, we have secured a comparative edition containing the two versions arranged on opposite pages, so that the alterations can be seen at a glance. This arrangement makes the work one of great popular value, as it does away with the necessity of using two books, and saves the time that would be occupied in seeking corresponding passages.
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.
Appointments.
CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE.
THE tenth annual session of the California Conference will be held in connection with the camp-meeting at Sacramento, commencing Oct. 13, 1881. As this Conference will be as important a one as has ever been held in this State, there should be a full representation of delegates from every company of Seventh-day Adventists in the Conference. Every recognized church of fifteen or less members is entitled to one delegate; larger churches to one additional delegate for every additional fifteen members. Unorganized companies and isolated brethren and sisters should also be represented in person or by letter, so that the wants of the cause in the State may be clearly understood.
Conference business will be disposed of during the early part of the meeting; delegates are therefore requested to be on the ground at the first of the meeting. Also letters pertaining to Conference business should be forwarded to the Secretary, Eld. J. D. Rice, in time so that they can be duly considered, and such steps taken as will co-operate with the Spirit of God. We hope also that there will be promptness in paying tithes, as the Conference expenses of the past year have been unusually large, and all funds of this kind will be needed to meet them.
All ministers and licentiates should have their written reports of labor and expenses prepared to pass in at the first session. Church clerks and treasurers will please bring their books to the meeting.
S. N. HASKELL. } Cal. Conf. Committee.
JOHN MORRISON. }
M. C. ISRAEL. }
MEMBERS OF OAKLAND CHURCH.
By Editor
The next quarterly meeting of the church comes on the first day of next month. It is greatly to be desired that every member shall be heard from. There is quite a large number of non-resident members, and for some it is not possible to attend every quarterly meeting. But it is quite possible for every one to send a letter to the clerk, W. J. Bostwick, Oakland, Cal. Some have neglected this in the past. It is hoped that they value their church relations sufficiently to neglect it no more.
The same may be said for every other church in the Conference. Let our churches all show a good standing in the coming annual Conference.
ELECT YOUR DELEGATES.
By Editor
LET all the churches in California take timely action for the election of delegates to the coming State Conference. Let the clerks be prompt in making out their credentials. Let every company of Sabbath-keepers in the State be represented. Let this be attended to at once, lest some unforeseen circumstance shall hinder it. There is no time to lose.
SUFFERERS IN MICHIGAN.
By Editor
THE sufferings of the survivors in the burnt district in Michigan, are beyond description—beyond our comprehension. While our brethren and sisters are generally ranked among the poor, there are few if any among them who are destitute of the ordinary comforts of life—few who could not spare something to the suffering without subjecting themselves to suffering. We invite all to read the second chapter of the letter of James, and pray for light in regard to duty. Anything sent to this office will be duly forwarded.
UNCONVERTIBLE
By Editor
MR. J. F. R., of Republican City, Neb., writes to inform us that we are wrong in all our religious principles, and says:-
“You can never make an advent of me.”
Webster defines advent as “a coming;” also “a visitation.” We have not the least desire to make “a coming” of Mr R., nor do we know by what process such an end might be accomplished. If “a visitation” were made of him we should be in doubt as to its nature.
We suggest to him that it will be well for him to discard his prejudice, cultivate a teachable spirit, and try to occupy the position of a true disciple, or learner.
OBSEQUIES OF OUR LATE PRESIDENT.
By Editor
The proclamations of President Arthur and Governor Perkins requested the people to abstain from secular labor and meet for religious services at their respective houses of worship, on Monday, Sept. 26, the day of the burial of President Garfield. We can but express our regret that the arrangements for a procession prevented conformity to the request. But some of the pastors appointed to hold memorial services on Sunday preceding. Our meeting on Sabbath was according to this plan; the order of services is noticed in our editorial pages.
It is a relief to the feelings of the mourning friends to know that the wound which the President received from the assassin was necessarily fatal, as we feared from the first, notwithstanding the favorable reports from time to time. While the reports were favorable we expressed this fear from the continued trouble of his legs and feet. This is accounted for in the injury to the vertebra, and shock to the spinal column.
While many are expressing their fears that the assassin cannot be legally punished as he deserves, the thought presses upon us that the taking of the life of such a degraded wretch is no atonement for his outrage on human life and on the rights of this Republic. We hope he may be punished, for man's Creator has declared that the murderer is unfit to live. But we look to the final judgment as only sufficient to mete to him his deserts.
CALIFORNIA CHURCH OFFICERS.
By John Norton Loughborough
LAST week we sent you blanks for the Quarter ending Oct. 1. Also Credentials for Delegates to the Conference. If any have not yet received them they will please notify me at once and I will supply them. This is the close of the Conference year and we are anxious to have full reports. I would here state that for some reason I have received no reports from Fairview, Lone Oak, Rocklin, Vacaville, Woodland, or San Jose, for quarter ending July 1. The fault is probably with the mail carriers. Let me hear from you, brethren, right away, concerning it.
To those companies of Sabbath keepers, which have been formed within the past year, I would say, it would be proper to make a request, through your Delegate, to be taken under the watchcare of the Conference until such time as you may be a fully organized church. Churches that have been fully organized within the year may make request to be received into the Conference.
TO THE SCATTERED BRETHREN.
LET me hear from you, to know how you do, and the state of the cause of truth in your section of the country. If there are others of like faith who are trying to live out the truth, send me their names. Come up with us to the yearly "feast of tabernacles,"—to the camp-meeting.
J. D. RICE, Sec. Cal. Conf.
TO CHURCH CLERKS.
By J. D. Rice
THE following notice appeared in the Review and Herald, of Aug. 23. Will the church clerks of California please see to this matter at once.
"Henry Randall Waite, of Pelham Manor, N. Y., agent for the collecting of Statistics of Religious Organizations for the United States tenth census, wishes to obtain a complete list of the S. D. Adventist churches. If any of the clerks of our churches have not received from him a schedule on which to make returns, please notify him at once, and he will send you a blank to be filled out with such information as he wishes to obtain. We especially request each one to attend to this matter promptly, that our denomination may be represented as accurately as possible."
J. D. RICE, Sec. Cal. Conf.
INFORMATION WANTED.
WM. T. HENSON is supposed to be living in California. Information concerning him will be thankfully received by his sister, Mrs. Nancy P. Carter, (formerly Helms,) Kankakee City, Illinois.
GOV. ST. JOHN, MISS WILLARD, AND JOHN B. FINCH.
By Editor
WE are requested by the publisher of the National Liberator to publish the following notice. We do this very cheerfully, for we have read the addresses to which reference is made, and do not hesitate to say they are unequaled as temperance literature suited to the present time. We cordially recommend this number to all of our Health and Temperance clubs. At the low price at which it is offered they can easily be scattered by thousands. No one need fear to place them in the hands of all parties; they are unanswerable as arguments, and cannot fail to carry conviction to every mind with even a small degree of candor left:—
"The National Liberator has just published, in No. 15, Gov. St. John's great Kansas speech, Miss Willard's beautiful Lake Bluff address, entitled 'The Southern People,' and John B. Finch's magnificent 'Indictment of the Liquor Traffic.' These three great speeches covering nearly twenty columns of solid reading matter, were reported and afterwards revised by the speakers for publication in that issue. They will be sent free of transportation to any part of the United States or Canada at the following extremely low rates:—
Per thousand copies, ..................... $6.00
Per hundred " ..................... .70
"Remember each copy contains the three speeches. Every Lodge, Division, Temple, and Union ought to supply the public with copies. Sample free. Address the National Liberator, 106 Franklin St., Chicago, Ill."
CALIFORNIA CAMP-MEETING.
THE Northern Cal. camp-meeting will be held at Sacramento, commencing Oct. 13. Let all our brothers and sisters from all parts of the State make a special effort to come up to this feast of Tabernacles. We are nearing the ripening time of the harvest of the earth. We need the influence of the power and Spirit of God, that we may be able to overcome our tendencies to wrong-doing, and that the graces of the Spirit may be more fully matured, and we be in a condition to be perfected by the latter rain soon to be poured out. Come prepared to stay until the close of the meeting. Preparations will be made to supply the temporal wants of both man and beast.
G. D. HAGER,
E. J. CHURCH,
G. W. MILLS,
} Camp-meeting Committee.
CALIFORNIA STATE T. AND M. SOCIETY.
THE next annual meeting of the California T. and M. Society will be held in connection with the camp-meeting at Sacramento, commencing Oct. 13, 1881. As far as consistent all pledges to this society or the Reserve Fund should be paid at or before this meeting. All District Secretaries and Church Librarians are requested to bring their account books, that they may be audited.
S. N. HASKELL, Pres.
CALIFORNIA H. AND T. SOCIETY.
By Stephen N. Haskell
THE second annual meeting of the California Health and Temperance Society will be held in connection with the camp-meeting at Sacramento, commencing Oct. 13, 1881. S. N. HASKELL, Pres.
CALIFORNIA S. S. ASSOCIATION.
By William Clarence White
THE California Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath-school Association will hold its fourth annual session in connection with the camp-meeting at Sacramento, commencing Oct. 13. It is hoped that every school will send its full number of delegates. Each school of fifteen members or less is entitled to one delegate; one additional delegate for each additional fifteen members.
W. C. WHITE, Pres.
OAKLAND CHURCH T. AND M. MEETING.
THE quarterly meeting of the Oakland T. and M. Society will be held on evening after Sabbath, Oct. 1, 1881. As this meeting immediately precedes the camp-meeting, where the annual meeting of the State Society is to be held, it is earnestly desired that a full report of work done during the past quarter shall be obtained. Let our members one and all attend, bringing their reports; but if impossible to attend in person, send the report to the librarian, Bro. F. L. Holmes, Pacific Press, Oakland.
In connection with the above meeting the District Quarterly Meeting will be held, and the librarians at Pacheco and Lafayette are specially requested to attend. W. J. BOSTWICK, Director.
THE quarterly meeting for District No. 4 will be held October 1, 2, at San Pasqual, San Diego Co., Cal. A general attendance is desired, especially of the scattered ones. Let all bring their reports, and the tithes of the Lord's house. This is the last quarter of the year, and all should come prepared to pay their vows, and make their offerings to the Lord. Bro. Healey is expected to be present. J. D. BANDY, Director.