p. 383 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 48. (12/19/1878)

SECULAR NEWS.

—The Constitutional Convention is in session in Sacramento. The Chinese question occupies a large portion of its time.

—It is estimated that the loss by the yellow fever plague was greater than the cost of the Mexican war.

—Several earthquake shocks have been felt in California of late. The heaviest was at Red Bluff and Chico at 3 A. M. of the 9th inst.

—It is reported that there is a rebellion against the Ameer in Afghanistan. If that be so England and Russia will soon have to decide which shall take possession.

—Henry Wells, founder of Wells, Fargo & Co's Express, died in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 10th, aged seventy-two years. He was a native of Thetford, Vermont.

—A Mrs. Harrison and her three children were murdered south of Kearney, Nebraska, recently. Also, a farmer near York, Nebraska. That State may get a bad name soon.

—The California Christian Advocate suggestively says, "Kearney says that women drink more liquor in this city than men drink. 'Because men and women drink, the Chinese come to do the work.'"

—A man is in the Massachusetts penitentiary for a term of three years for stealing $20,000. The same day on which he received his sentence another man was sentenced for ten years for stealing a chicken worth thirty-five cents!

—Two negroes were hanged by citizens in Nebraska City on the morning of December 10. Their crime was outrageous; the jury returned a verdict of murder in the second degree, and the judge reprimanded them, as the evidence would justify a verdict in the first.

—For the first time in the history of the Republic of Mexico the civic element has attained supremacy over the military. This is illustrated by the fact that of the four leading public men spoken of as prominent candidates for the presidency not one has had a military education. All have been, and are devoted to civil pursuits and professions.

—Heavy snow storms are reported in Missouri and Kansas. The weather has been unusually cold in California, high winds prevailing. The night of the 12th the wind moved 40 miles an hour at San Francisco. During the next night ice formed an inch thick in some localities in Los Angeles; hydrants were frozen, and orange and banana trees badly injured. Cold and strong winds from the north and northeast have been general.

—Perhaps there has never been a storm which was attended by so wide-spread destruction as one that recently occurred in the Atlantic States. Dams washed out, bridges gone, railroad trains running into washouts, towns and cities submerged, mills suspended or ruined. These are the constant reports from New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and New York, and all New England. The damage is beyond all possibility of computation.

—The investigation of the school examination scandals still continues in San Francisco before the Board of Education. It will probably go before the Grand Jury. Plenty has been elicited to disgrace the State in its present system. It has been asserted that the examinations here were of such high order that eastern teachers could not get certificates. But by "catch questions" and sales of questions it now turns out that California certificates are no evidence of scholarship or ability to teach.

—For the first time in history, a New York City native-born Chinaman was on Tuesday admitted to the privileges of citizenship. Judge Larremore naturalized Wong Ah Ye upon his own application. He has been a resident of New York for eight years, is married to an Irish woman, and is doing a good cigar-making business. Judge Larremore said his object in granting the papers was to have the case tested. In order to have this done somebody had to be naturalized.

—It is stated that a plan is on foot for consolidating the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, with Sidney Dillon as president; Clark, general manager of the Union Pacific, as general manager, and with one board of directors. This will greatly reduce the clerical force, saving enormously in salaries and cost of transportation, and will form a continuous line under one management from Omaha to San Francisco. It is further stated that the principal owners are anxious to retire, in order to take part in the construction of the Southern Pacific railroad.

—On the night of the 10th two men were burned by a mob in Nebraska, Custer county. An attempt was made to arrest them for cattle stealing, during which they shot a herder. The sheriff afterward arrested them, from whose hands they were taken. Their charred remains were discovered the 11th at a tree to which they were tied. This was the first report. Later reports say the two men were estimable citizens, and the brutal crime was perpetrated by roving herders of the most lawless type. There is great excitement in the county, and every effort will be made to arrest the offenders.

RELIGIOUS NEWS AND NOTES.

—Spurgeon will not marry one of his church to an unbeliever.

—Strenuous attempts of the Evengelicals in Ireland to suppress ritualism have failed in every instance.

—Pittsburg, Pa., is afflicted with an attack of the "current religion." She has prohibited the running of street cars on Sunday, and repudiated her bonds!

—It is a most interesting fact that there is not one infidel book in the Welsh language; the Bible is everywhere studied and prized. And co-incident is the fact that popery has never been able to get a foothold there.

—Mr. Moody says, "If I see a Sabbath-school teacher five minutes late he falls 50 per cent in my estimation at once. If he does not shake hands with his scholars I take off the other 50 per cent. There's a good deal of gospel in shaking hands. Get acquainted with the children."

—In a stirring appeal to the Methodists, written by Dr. Steele at the request of some of his fellow-laborers, he says: "Our power to sway and save the masses has declined. The time has fully come for looking this fact squarely in the face, ascertaining the cause, and applying the remedy." We truly hope they may be successful.

—The Christian Union calls for "a moral quarantine," not to keep out Chinese lepers and pagan prostitutes, but German Socialists—men whom Germany, it says, can no longer endure and who are to be shipped to America by thousands. They are more dangerous than the Chinese, because they become citizens, and have a voice in shaping the actions and destiny of the nation.

—The chairman of the Baptist Union, England, calls for young men to enter the ministry who are able to support themselves out of private resources. He says, "Voluntaryism will have to take this higher form." This will exactly suit the covetous, though perhaps wealthy church member, but it will not agree with the divine order, that they who preach the gospel shall live thereby.

—The San Francisco Bulletin complains that the churches change their pastors too often, and, inquiring into the cause of dissatisfaction, says, "We have built churches more rapidly than we can fill them; we have put them too near each other and too far from the homes of the people expected to fill them; and we have constructed them on so elaborate a scale that they are weighed down with debt, and belong rather to the world than to the Lord."

—Dr. Newman, who left the church of England for that of Rome, speaking of the former church, says, "I have no wish to see it overthrown while it is what it is, and while we are so small a body. Not for its own sake, but for the sake of many congregations for which it ministers, I will do nothing against it. While Catholics are so weak in England it is doing our work; and though it does us harm in a measure, at present the balance is in our favor." The church of England has done heavy recruiting work for the Romanists of late.

OBITUARY.

DIED, in Sacramento, November 21, 1878, of typhoid fever, Sister Mary Louisa Fowler, aged 21 years. Sister Fowler signed the covenant during Elder Healey's lectures in the Oakland church last winter, and was baptized last summer when the tent lectures were in progress in this city. Her parents resided near Galt, in Sacramento county, and were attending the funeral of a younger daughter when they received the intelligence of Mary's death. The Galt Review says, "Her last hours were of perfect consciousness and joy; she was entirely willing to die, and one of her last words was 'mother.'"

Church Quarterly Meetings.

THE church quarterly meetings of each church in the State will be held on the first Sabbath and Sunday in January. On the Sabbath the list of members is to be read by the clerk, and each member is expected to respond in a personal testimony or by letter. Either evening after the Sabbath or on Sunday the church tract and missionary meeting is to be held. The librarian will call the roll of the tract and missionary members, when each will read their quarterly report and pass it over to the librarian so that he can make out his report in season for the district quarterly meeting. At this meeting it is expected the systematic benevolence treasurer will complete his collection of all systematic benevolence dues and the missionary one-third.

District Quarterly Meetings.

By Editor

The district quarterly meetings of the eight districts of California will be held simultaneously January 11 and 12, as follows:— No. 1, at Santa Rosa. No. 2, at Fairview. No. 3, at St. Helena. No. 4, at San Pasqual. No. 5, at Woodland. No. 6, at Red Bluff. No. 7, at Oakland. No. 8, at San Francisco. At these district meetings there should be a full report from every church in each district.

APPOINTMENTS.

OAKLAND—Services at the Seventh-day Adventist church, corner of Thirteenth and Clay streets, every Sabbath (Saturday) at 10:30 A. M., and Sunday evening at 7:30. Prayer-meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:30. Sabbath-school at 9:15 o'clock Sabbath morning.

SAN FRANCISCO—Services at the Seventh-day Adventist church, on Laguna street, between Tyler and McAllister, every Sabbath (Saturday), at 11 A.M., and Sunday evening at 7:30. Prayer-meeting every Tuesday evening at 7:30. The Hayes Valley cars of Market street and the Lone Mountain cars of the Central railroad cross Laguna street near the church.

Health Publications.

By Editor

The Uses of Water in Health and Disease. Bound, 160 pp., 50c. Paper covers, pp. 136, 25c.

The Household Manual. Brief, plain directions for treatment of common sicknesses, etc. Bound, 176 pp. 75c.

Plain Facts about Sexual Life. (The Boston Journal, and many other papers, highly recommend this work.) Bound, tinted paper, 360 pp., $1.50. Flexible covers, 260 pp., 75c.

The Physical, Moral, and Social Effects of Alcoholic Poison as a Beverage and a Medicine. Paper, 128 pp., 25c.

Healthful Cookery. Indispensable to every household. 128 pp., 25c.

Proper Diet for Man. Paper, 48 pp., 15c.

Evils of Fashionable Dress, and How to Dress Healthfully. 40 pp., 10c.

Tracts. Dyspepsia, its Cause and Cure. 32 pp., 4c.

Healthful Clothing. 32 pp., 4c.

Startling Facts about Tobacco. 32 pp., 4c.

Tea and Coffee. 32 pp., 4c.

Wine and the Bible, (showing that the Bible affords no support to the use of intoxicating beverages). 24 pp., 3c.

Principles of Health Reform. 16 pp., 2c.

Twenty-five Arguments for Tobacco-using Answered. 24 pp., 3c.

Pork, (with an engraving of the terrible trichina worm). 16 pp., 2c.

The Drunkard's Arguments Answered. 16 pp., 2c.

Alcoholic Medication. 16 pp., 2c.

Moral and Social Effects of Alcohol. 8 pp., 1c.

Causes and Cure of Intemperance. 8 pp., 1c.

Alcohol; What is it? 4 pp., 1/2c.

Alcoholic Poison. 4 pp., 1/2c.

True Temperance. 4 pp., 1/2c.

The whole series of Tracts put up in a neat package, 30c. Discount made to Tract and Temperance societies.

Address— Signs of the Times. Oakland, Cal.

FINE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS,

FOR SALE BY THE PACIFIC PRESS. Twelfth and Castro Streets, Oakland.

FOR SABBATH SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND HOLIDAY PRESENTS.

Title.	Price.
The Arctic World	$6.50
The Mediterranean	6.00
Nature, or the Poetry of Earth and Sea	6.00
The Bird World	5.00
The Insect "	5.00
The Sea "	5.00
The Bird "	5.00
Mysteries of the Ocean	5.00
The Mountain	5.00
Babylon and Nineveh	5.00
Those Holy Fields	4.00
English Pictures	4.00
Spanish "	4.00
Italian "	4.00
American "	4.00
Swiss "	4.00
Great Shipwrecks	2.50
Animal Life Throughout the Globe	2.50
Josephus	2.00
Golden Springs	2.00
Beautiful Birds	2.00
Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress	2.00
" " "	1.00
" " "	75
Bible Picture Book	1.75
Indian Mirror	1.75
Bible Pictures	1.50
Picture Book of Animals	1.50
Memorials of Early Genius	1.50
Treasures of the Deep	1.50
Earth and Its Treasures	1.50
Wonders of the Underground World	1.50
The Catacombs of Rome	1.50
Wonders of the Physical World	1.50
Self-taught Men	1.50
The Vivians of Woodiford	1.50
Stories of Animal Sagacity	1.50
Stories of Bird Life	1.50
Alpine Adventures	1.50
Home Life in Ancient Palestine	1.50
Sea Birds	1.25
With the Birds	1.25
Scenes with Hunters and Trappers	1.25
The Ocean and Its Wonders	1.25
Natural History of the Bible	1.25
Sea Birds and Story of their Lives	1.25
Aloe's Picture Story Book	1.20
The Children's Garland	1.20
The Daisy Chain	1.20
The Children's Wreath	1.20
The Children's Posey	1.20
Natural History Scrap Book	1.00
Half Hours Among the Animals	1.00
Goat Land	1.00
Success in Life	1.00
Youthful Diligence	1.00
Seed Time and Harvest	1.00
Self-taught Men	1.00
The Black Prince	1.00
Mark Raffles in Japan	1.00
The Sea and the Sea Shore	1.00
Birds of Gay Plumage	75
With the Birds	75
Perils Among the Heathen	75
The Boy Makes the Man	75
The Birds We See	75
Things in the Forest	75
Bible Pictures and What They Tell Us	75
Stories From Jewish History	75
Story of Audubon	50
" Cyrus Field	50
" Palissy, the Potter	50
" Scoresby, the Arctic Navigator	50
" John Howard, the Philanthropist	50
" John Smeaton	50
" Sir Humphrey Davy	50
" Benvenuto Cellini	50
Homes of the Birds	50

A liberal reduction from the above prices to Sabbath-schools and the Trade.

BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.

By Editor

Received for the Signs.

$2.00 EACH. J Morrison 5-20, J D Rice 5-25, Mrs S Stubblefield 5-48, Ellen M Morse 5-48, W R Maschmayer 5-35, Eld J N Loughborough 5-48, Lydia Y Heller 6-8, Samuel Beckett 5-40, J M Rowell 5-40, John K Bowsby 5-41, J I Thompson 5-40, H Parker 5-25, W C Granger 6-1, Joseph Hutchings 5-26, Mathue Hall 5-48.

$1.50 EACH. Mrs M E Jorden 5-48, J H McCutcan 5-48, Wm S Jackson 5-48, Charles Porter 5-48, Mrs S M Garrison 5-48, Mrs E Watts 5-48, Elizabeth Decker 5-48, Edwin West 5-48, R Trotter 5-48, Charlie H Johnson 5-48, Wm B Arnold 5-48, A N Allen 6-1.

$1.20 EACH. S A Cox 5-48, Mary Simmons 5-48, G N Moitler 5-48, I J Reed 5-48, Maggie Moitler 5-48, Eliza Sheets 5-48, Sadelia Miles 5-48, Cyrus Miles 5-48, Sadie Miles 5-58, T H Coffman 5-48, Daniel Huenium 5-48, W H White 5-48, McClellan White 5-48, H C Trowbridge 5-48, Hattie Green 5-48, J W Groves 5-48, Noah Ricard 5-48, A L Curl 5-48, H W Heugy 5-48.

MISCELLANEOUS. L H Tomlinson (30 copies) 36.00 5-48, Fannie Var 75c 5-24, E G Boltor (5 copies) 6.00 5-48, Mrs Sarah Berishart 50c 5-15, J C Maitler (2 copies) 2.40 5-48, Aaron Hoover (2 copies) 2 40 5-48, James E Green (2 copies) 2.40, 5-48, Wm McMorin (10 copies) 12.00 5-48, B F Treux (3 copies) 3.60 5-48, G W Briles (3 copies) 3.60 5-48, E F Sowls (3 copies) 3.60 5-48, Geo Anderson 50c 5-15, John H Anderson 50c 5-15, Philo P Peckham (12 copies) 14.40 5-48, Geo Madison 2.50 5-25, Rev David McKeen 75c 5-24, Judge D C McKerny 75c 5-24, Nathan Carr (12 copies) 14.40 5-48, Wm Shepard 75c 5-24, Mrs T J Russell 75c 5-24, John F Jones (10 copies) 12.00 5-48, H A Whittaker (10 copies) 12.00 5-48, J F Wood (5 copies) 7.50 5-48, Wm Nichols (5 copies) 7.50 5-48, Ambrose Johnson (6 copies) 9 00 5-48, J H Beeks 50c 5-10, Mrs Jabez Cowls 1.00 5-18, Winfield Cowls 1 00 5-30, Hannah Creamer (50 copies) 75.00 5-48, Mrs A E Pond (23 copies) 34.50 5-48, Mrs Lucenia E Marsh 1.00 5-30, Mrs C W Cummings (6 copies) 7 20 5-47, Jas Urquehart 2.75 5-48, T D Brackett (2 copies) 2.40 5-48, Charlie Anderson 50c 5-15.

Cal. Publishing Fund. Lucius Church $10.00.

Received on Account. N E T and M Society $300.00.

Church Trustees

This number closes volume 4 of the Signs of the Times. There will be no paper issued next week. No. 1 of Vol. 5 will be dated January 2.

Elder Wood reports a good and profitable meeting with the church in Fairview, Fresno county. They had been laboring under some discouragements which are happily removed.

Church Trustees.

The time for the election of church trustees for the following year should be carefully watched by the church clerks. Let the church records be carefully examined, the notice of the election published, and the election held at the right time.

Elder J. H. Waggoner, providence permitting, will be in St. Helena, Sabbath and Sunday, December 21, 22.