p. 103 | Review and Herald, Vol. 53, No. 13. (3/27/1879)

OUR SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK.

By Committee of Gen. S. S. Association

We have reason to be greatly encouraged by the increasing interest that is manifested in the Sabbath-school work, and by the good that is being accomplished.

Our State S. S. Associations will be a great help to all the schools if they will respond cheerfully to the effort that is being made by the State officers. We hope all our schools will notice the following suggestions:—

It has been recommended that each school should hold a business meeting in connection with the church quarterly meeting of April 6.
It is requested that each director shall consider the interests of the S. S. work at the district quarterly meeting.
It is recommended that there be a general attendance of S. S. officers, and all those especially interested in this work, at the State quarterly meetings, at which there should be a quarterly S. S. Convention.
It is very important that the State Associations shall have at the end of the quarter a report from every school within their limits. As next Sabbath is the last one in this quarter, let each school elect its officers for the next three months in the time usually devoted to general exercises.

On the Monday following this election, let the person who has acted as secretary during the quarter, fill out the blank report giving the full address of the officers just elected, and forward it immediately to the State Secretary. Let the Superintendent of each school that has not received a blank report from his State Secretary, drop him a line, stating the name of the school, the number of members, and the names and addresses of the superintendent and secretary. Schools outside of State organizations, and any who have forgotten the address of their State Secretary may report to

COMMITTEE OF GEN. S. S. ASSOCIATION, Battle Creek, Mich.

ONE BLESSED THOUGHT.

By A. S. Hutchins

Some time ago, while in conversation with an aged brother who has been a conscientious observer of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment for years, he remarked, “I have one thing to be thankful for, that is, I have not seen one dark hour since I embraced the Sabbath.” Precious testimony!

This man had been a deacon of the Congregationalist Church some fifty years; but living amidst Sabbath-keepers, his attention was called to the subject, which he, with his companion, gave a careful and prayerful examination, resulting in firmly settling each one in the Scriptural truth, that the seventh day is the Sabbath.

Many who have given this subject a candid investigation have settled the question in their minds in favor of the Bible Sabbath, who have not taken up the cross of keeping it. May there not be a large number of this class who could not say, I have not seen a dark hour since rejecting the light?

Light shines upon our pathway that we may be benefited by it. 1. That we may confess it; 2. That we may obey it, and rejoice in it, and thereby let it shine upon others; and 3. That we may be saved by obedience to it.

A. S. HUTCHINS.

DON'T GIVE UP.

By S. O. James

I MEAN, don't become discouraged, cease making efforts, and thus lose what you have wrought. Very likely you have been burdened, if you are walking in Jesus’ footsteps. Resisting sin and performing duty has cost you vigorous effort, severe mental struggles. The burden has seemed to grow heavier, the cares to multiply, while with sick heart and weary brain you could not feel that the work was moving on, that you were accomplishing aught for the Master. Perhaps, care-worn and sorrow-stricken, you have looked to the wrong source for comfort. Thinking only of your own sorrow, you slept instead of agonizing with the Lord. Of course you denied him; and then in your bitter regret, with the enemy triumphing over your downfall, you almost felt to say, “It is useless to attempt to walk in this way.” But now that he has followed you, and comes with the tender inquiry, “Lovest thou me more than these?” can you refuse to engage the enemy once more in his name? Ah! you have learned a lesson, and from henceforth you will not try to bear your burden alone, but will share it with him. Now you are ready to say, while you feel his sweet smile of pardon for your lack of faith,—Give me some work, and make me able to do it.

“Oh, blessed work for Jesus! Oh, rest at Jesus’ feet! There toil seems pleasure, my wants are treasure, And pain for him is sweet. Lord, if I may, I’ll toil another day.”

S. O. JAMES.

INTERESTING EXTRACTS.

By Mrs. Wm. H. Brown

An old acquaintance writes: “Your very welcome postal is at hand, also the papers, which I was in quite a quandary about. Not recognizing the hand-writing, I could form no idea where they came from. You ask me to give my views of their contents. The Christian sentiment of the papers I admire; and I indorse their views of Christianity so far, as they are taught in the Bible. I respect you for your belief, and may God bless your efforts. Shall be pleased to hear from you further upon this subject.”

A lady in Oregon says: “I have subscribed for your paper, and like it very much. I make no profession, but try to place before my children good moral reading. There are several societies of your people here. I think now I will attend their camp-meeting next summer.”

We received a letter from a brother in Minnesota, stating that he had been sending reading matter to his sister in Lewis Co., N. Y., and that she had read and distributed it among her neighbors, and they had read; and all were very anxious to have the living preacher present the truth to them, and wished me to send the letter to some of our ministers to be used as a letter of introduction to her. I accordingly sent it to Eld. Jacob Wilbur, as he lives near there. In reply he says he will go soon. He desires our prayers. May God’s sweet Spirit accompany him, and much good be the result.

MRS. WM. H. BROWN.

Adams Center, N. Y.

Tobacco, Tea, and the Hidden Roots of Rheumatism

MANY are suffering from rheumatism who do not know that there is any affinity between rheumatism and tobacco. Some have learned that tea relieves the headache; but they fail to notice that those that take tea to cure the headache always have a headache to cure.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Editor

1.—RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.

E. J. B.: The parable of the rich man and Lazarus was recently explained by Eld. W. H. Littlejohn, in articles copied from the Sabbath Recorder into the REVIEW. It is also explained in our works on the nature of man, which see.

2.—SELLING TO THE STRANGER.

Why was it lawful for the Hebrews to sell to the alien and stranger what they were not permitted to use themselves? Deut. 14:21. E. J. B.

Ans. It seems to us a sufficient reason that it was lawful, because God told them they might do it.

3.—FOREVER AND EVER.

C. P. BOLLMAN: A criticism on the words forever and ever, and an explanation of Isa. 65:20, will be found in the work entitled, Man's Nature and Destiny, published at this Office.

4.—RESURRECTION OF THE WICKED.

A. M. SOUTHERLAND: For a full discussion of this subject, an examination of the texts for and against, and a triumphant vindication of the doctrine that the unjust will be raised to life, see Eld. Waggoner's work, “A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust,” published at this Office.

5.—SECOND CORINTHIANS 3:7.

A. J. R.: In the REVIEW, Vol. 51, No. 1, will be found an exhaustive article on 2 Cor. 3, which will answer your query on verse 7. Also in the pamphlet entitled, The Two Laws. In regard to modern revivals, a person may change his course of life to do right according to the best light he has, and may in consequence receive the approval of his own conscience, and become very happy therein. So far he is converted. But any one who goes contrary to light clearly perceived, and contrary to his own convictions, must fall into condemnation; and no confidence can be placed in any emotions he may feel or manifest.

ANSWERED BY LETTER. W. Allen, G. W. Colcord, S. E. Edwards, B. D. Haskell, J. Q. A. Brown, R. F. Cottrell, H. L. Hastings, H. P. Sanderson, Geo. P. Rowell & Co., and J. Butcher.

MINNESOTA

Maple Plain, March 16.—After being refreshed and encouraged by Bro. Haskell’s excellent meeting at Hutchinson, and strengthened by a few days of rest, I returned to my work here, and have been holding meetings in different places with a varied outside interest, but with a steady and healthy growth on the part of those who had accepted the truth. Our Sabbath meetings, though small, are seasons of deep interest, as the Lord comes near to bless. We have a company of ten, now firm in the faith; and there are some others for whom we have strong hopes. Some of them have a struggle before them to get rid of their idols, but we hope in God to give the victory.

Bro. and Sr. Walker are still with me, helping in the good work. Shall remain for a time, and build up, as the Lord may open the way, and give help. I greatly need a deeper consecration, and ask the brethren to aid me by their prayers.

D. P. CURTIS.

Dassel, March 22.—Two more have commenced to keep the Sabbath here. The outside interest is still good, and many honest souls are in the valley of decision. I have sold nine dollars’ worth of books, and all the brethren have subscribed for the REVIEW. Bro. W. B. Hill, President of our State Sabbath-school Association, was with us Wednesday evening, and organized a Sabbath-school. The school opens with forty members; we expect soon to increase it largely. The brethren gave $30 to supply it with the Youth’s Instructor, "Song Anchor," and other necessary things. We expect to organize a church here in about four weeks, and a meeting-house will be built this fall. We have rented a building for six months, to be used as a place of worship. Eld. W. B. Hill will reside in this place. We expect to have a strong church here, and a working church. These brethren have responded nobly to every call for means in every branch of the work that has been presented to them, and they are doing quite an amount of missionary work. And each is prepared to give a reason for his hope.

March 6 to 12, in company with Bro. E. F. Moore, I labored at Irving. In my report of the 10th I stated that there were fifteen keeping the Sabbath there. I should have said twenty-three. They have an interesting Sabbath-school of fifty members. The company at Irving embraced the truth under the labors of Bro. Hill and Babcock a year ago last winter, and though they have had no ministerial labor since, they are growing strong in the truth, and have the best Sabbath-school I have ever attended. A T. and M. society was organized, and either Bro. Hill or myself will probably return in a few weeks to organize them into a church.

I returned to Dassel, March 12. I now go to labor for a short time with the church at Oak Springs. I desire the prayers of God’s people.

JOHN W. MOORE.

THE CAUSE IN MAINE.

By J. B. Goodrich

Since my last report, I have labored in Deering, Long Island, Crotch Island, Freeport, Richmond, Stow, and East Fryeburg, and I find that our churches stand greatly in need of help. Satan is not dead, neither is he asleep; but he is working with great power, knowing that his time is short, and we ought not to be ignorant of his devices. Above all others, S. D. Adventists ought to be a God-fearing people, and never allow evil surmisings, or jealousy, which “is cruel as the grave,” to exist among them.

I would recommend to all our brethren and sisters a prayerful study of the following scriptures, and a close application of them in daily life, as a preventive of so many church trials: “Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and discover not a secret to another.” Prov. 25:9. Matt. 18:15–17; Prov. 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Cor. 13; Heb. 13:1. “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” Prov. 19:11.

The Lord is coming, and he will then reward every man according as his works shall be. How solemn is the thought, and how important is the work in which we are engaged. The Lord knows our hearts and understands our motives better than we do ourselves. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

The third angel’s message will soon close, and it will make a difference with us whether we go with the message or not. The Lord will have a people of one heart and one mind.

J. B. GOODRICH.

KANSAS

Lyon Co.—I closed my meetings six miles east of Emporia, March 16. Although there was no general interest, yet a few promised to obey the commandments of God. These, with those who were previously keeping the Sabbath, will keep up a Sabbath-school. CHAS. F. STEVENS.

Bennington, Ottawa Co., March 13.—Came to Bennington Feb. 20. We have also been lecturing in a neighboring school-house. People are interested. We are very anxious to go among the French, as we have been requested to do, but the cause here demands our attention. MARSHALL. ENOCH.

Ward, Wilson Co.—Systematic benevolence has been pledged here to the amount of $30. A part of the brethren have not signed yet, and I suppose they will raise it to twice that amount. I have visited among the Swedes west of Chanute. A few are keeping the Sabbath and taking the Herald. On account of my limited knowledge of their language, I did not hold any meetings. Any one understanding this language would find this a good field of labor. P. J. Anderson will meet any of our ministers at Chanute. L. D. SANTEE.

NEBRASKA

By George B. Starr

Eldorado, Greeley Co.—After spending a little more than a month at this place, I closed meetings Sunday evening, March 9. A good little company of fourteen signed the covenant, most of whom are heads of families. A leader was chosen, a young man who had some time in the past given himself to the work of the gospel, and will now study with a view to laboring in the message. May God bless and make an effectual workman of this young man. A Sabbath-school was organized. A club of twelve copies of the Signs, and two subscribers to the Review, were obtained. Books and tracts to the amount of $7.75 were sold. The people, though pressed for means, showed their willingness to help the cause by taking a subscription in pledges to the amount of $6.37, to be paid in the future. God's precious Spirit was present throughout, and I feel is still at work upon the hearts of many who have not yet obeyed.

My address is Nebraska City, Neb.

GEORGE B. STARR.

IOWA

Shelby Co., March 18.—For two weeks past I have continued meetings at the two places mentioned in my last report. It requires faith and patience to speak night after night to eight or ten hearers; but some seem interested, and I have hopes that they will obey the truth. I have obtained one subscriber for the Signs, two for the Instructor, and six for our Danish paper.

JOHN F. HANSON.

Lamoille, March 20.—I began meetings in this place a week ago last evening. We had thought that there was no hope of interesting the people here in present truth; but the way has opened favorably for meetings, and the interest is good. We are trying to draw near to God, that his blessing may rest on our efforts. In prayer we find the Lord precious.

Our work at Flint closed with some good results. Five families subscribed for the papers. A few began to obey the truth.

G. V. KILGORE.

Douds, Libertyville, Cantril.—We held a series of meetings in a country place four miles from Douds. About twenty began to keep the Sabbath. Opposition, the most bitter, did much to help the work. Regular Sabbath meetings were established, and a Sabbath-school was organized. Last Sabbath, March 15, we met with them again and enjoyed a precious season. All are firm, and two more families have united with them. The leading man in the Methodist church, a local preacher, has recently taken his stand on the Sabbath. The doors of the church are closed against them, and at present meetings are held in a private house. All seem to have a desire to learn the truth, and to walk in the increasing light.

For the encouragement of the lonely ones, we wish to state that one good brother had been keeping the Sabbath here alone for more than sixteen years. Long had he prayed that the way might be opened for his neighbors to hear the truth. It is to the good influence he has ever exerted in favor of the truth, that we attribute largely the good results of this meeting.

At Libertyville two families, that have long been keeping the Sabbath, were much encouraged, and a few more united with them. They meet with the friends near Douds, five miles distant.

We held meetings at Cantril, and the interest and attendance were good. Had the free use of the Methodist church, and our expenses all paid. Seven began to keep the Sabbath, and we hope for others who are almost persuaded. We sold at these different places $28.00 worth of books and tracts, and obtained twenty-nine subscribers for periodicals. The Lord has given us freedom in presenting the truth, and we shall labor on, trusting him for help.

IRA J. HANKINS.

F. L. WAGGONER.

LIFE'S CONFLICTS.

By Mrs. M. F. Gould

Shall we lay the glittering armor Down before our work is done? Shall we leave the field of conflict Just before the battle’s won?

Shall we cease the Christian warfare Just before the prize is given? Shall we lay the cross of Christ down Ere we reach the final haven?

Shall we cease our earnest labor, Just before we reach our home, Just before the coming Saviour Says the welcome words, “Well done”?

Nay, forbid; but let us hasten Onward through this world of ill, Looking only unto Jesus, Humbly doing all his will.

MRS. M. F. GOULD.

VIRGINIA

By I. Sanborn

My meetings three miles north-west of Mt. Jackson are well attended, and there is a growing interest. We had a meeting last Sabbath, and there was a good attendance. Eight have publicly taken their stand upon the truth. A great many others are almost persuaded, and will no doubt be numbered with us before this report will be read.

I expect to remain here until the quarterly meeting. Pray that the Lord may bless our labors. I. SANBORN.

MICHIGAN

By O. Soule

Sheridan, March 19.—I still labor at Sheridan. I was detained by sickness, but I now remain to labor. Eight more have decided to keep the Sabbath; several of them had made no profession before. The interest is better now than at any previous time. O. SOULE.

INDIANA

By W. W. Sharp

Noblesville, Hamilton Co., March 7-17.— The cause here is still onward. The 16th I baptized three, four were taken into the church, and the elder was ordained. Several families have quit the use of tea, coffee, and pork. They are much interested in the circulating library. There are twenty-seven members, and several more will come in. I commence a series of meetings five miles from here, in the country, this week.

W. W. SHARP.

WISCONSIN

By A. D. Olsen

March 18.—Since coming from Door county, I have held meetings at Fremont, Tusten and Burr-oak Valley. Held meetings at Fremont about two weeks. It was a time to be long remembered on account of the presence of the Spirit of God among his people. The brethren were strengthened, some who were discouraged made a new start, and one commenced keeping the Sabbath. At Tusten and Burr-oak Valley the Lord has blessed as we have tried to labor for souls. Some have accepted the truth and rejoice in it.

Others admit it is Bible truth, but refuse to obey. Have also met with the little company at Berlin, that came out last tent season. Nearly all are holding on to the truth, and preparing for our soon-coming Saviour. A. D. Olsen.

DAKOTA

By M. M. Olsen

Maple Grove, Lincoln Co., March 18.— I began labor here Feb. 5, and have held meetings in two places about six miles apart. The interest has been good. Ten or more have commenced keeping the commandments, and as many others are much interested.

Have had some opposition from a Lutheran minister, who, after exacting a promise from his people not to go and hear me (for he said it was a sin to hear such doctrine), turned and asked me what I believed and taught. He plainly said that there was no Scripture for keeping Sunday, but that it was a church institution. Many of his people became disgusted, and concluded that he was too much like the pope.

Have obtained eight subscribers for our periodicals, and sold publications for $2.41. Calls come in from the Scandinavians to have the truth preached in their neighborhood.

M. M. OLSEN.

OHIO

By A. O. Burrell

Corsica, March 19.—We have just closed our effort here, and are very grateful to our Heavenly Father for what he has done for his truth. Sixty or more, including children, are keeping the Sabbath; twenty have entered into church relations. Our Sabbath-school is progressing finely. Weekly prayer-meetings have been appointed, and leaders have been chosen.

The opposition has been so bitter that for three or four weeks past we have had to hold our meetings in a private house, and we shall be obliged to continue to do so till our new church is completed, which will be about the first of July. I have never before encountered such bitter opposition, and in so underhanded a manner. Nearly every week the papers publish something against us, but all but one grant the privilege of replying. Still, as we see these dear friends rejoicing in the truth, we feel that our labor here has not been without fruit.

We have taken nearly fifty subscriptions for our periodicals, and sold about thirty-five dollars' worth of publications, and nearly enough has been pledged to build a good church. Our baptism on Sunday was a very pleasant occasion. Fourteen were buried with their Lord, and rose, we trust, to newness of life. Bro. Mann remains in the vicinity to follow up the work.

Our address, till further notice, will be Bellville, Ohio. A. O. BURRELL.

JOHN JOHNSON

By John Johnson

Fremont, March 11.—I have obtained thirteen subscribers for our periodicals since my last report, and have held four meetings at a place eight miles north of Fremont. The Spirit of the Lord was present in these meetings. On the 10th, five dear souls were buried with Christ in baptism. May they walk in newness of life. Those who love the truth in this place have signed $191.50 for the Scandinavian mission. Of this sum $63.50 had belonged to Bro. and Sr. Anderson's five children, whose deaths occurred between Nov. 18 and Dec. 7, 1878. These children loved Jesus, and loved to do what they could for him, and so this sum was given as a memorial of them. I sold books to the value of $3.75.

I now go home, praying for the blessing of the Lord on the seed sown.

JOHN JOHNSON

MASSACHUSETTS

Dartmouth.—We are having very interesting meetings in this place. Quite a number have commenced to serve the Lord in good earnest, we trust. The meeting last Sabbath was one of the best we have had. One more requested prayers, expressing a desire to be a Christian. Our meetings are well attended, notwithstanding the muddy roads. Pray for us.

S. S. MOONEY.

Athol Center.—Our meetings here have closed. We leave fourteen keeping the Sabbath. Ten embraced it since we came. The Sabbath-school numbers about twenty. They have a small hall, where they will hold regular meetings and Sabbath-school each week.

Last Sunday P. M. another sermon was preached against the Sabbath by Dr. Hemenway, first-day Adventist. The night before, we secured the “Town Hall,” so at the close of his sermon I announced a review of it on Tuesday eve at the above place. About three hundred were present to hear the review, and they paid the best of attention for ninety minutes.

At the close of the meeting I sold quite a number of tracts and books. One gentleman who is friendly gave me a very practical shaking of the hand, leaving in my palm a silver dollar, with the remark, “That is for this sermon; can’t you have it printed?” We hope before long to see him take a firm stand for the truth.

A week or two ago some one published an objection against the Sabbath, in the Athol Transcript. The writer signed himself A. C., Boston, Mass. We replied this week in the same paper, with a full column. This will at least call the attention of ten thousand readers to the Sabbath question in this county. It is due Bro. Crandall to say that he has done all in his power to make the meetings a success, and his efforts have not been in vain.

D. A. ROBINSON.

PACIFIC COAST.

At Grangeville, Cal., where Bro. J. L. Wood has been laboring, four have taken a decided stand for the truth, and have united with the Lemoore church. Sabbath, March 1, after a meeting held with this church, five persons were buried with their Lord in baptism. It was a precious season; the angels of God seemed very near. The Lemoore church is in good growing condition. They are about to commence the erection of a house of worship.

Bro. A. T. Jones’s meetings at Damascus, Clackamas Co., Oregon, closed Feb. 10. Twenty-four are keeping the Sabbath, eighteen of whom signed the covenant.

Bro. J. W. Allen writes from St. Clair, Nevada: “There are nine families keeping the Sabbath in this place; each family distributes from two to six copies of the Signs, in different parts of Nevada and the East. Including children, we have about thirty Sabbath-keepers. Our Sabbath-school is very interesting. We use the question books.”

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

We held fifteen meetings in the village hall at Shirley, and have since held meetings in our house, where we have four meetings a week. In the hall we had no privilege of Sunday meetings. As we had only two or three evening meetings a week, and those evenings were sometimes bitter cold or very stormy, our congregations were not large. Our expense was 4s. ($1.00) per night, whether our congregations were great or small. About one-third enough to meet the expense was placed in the contribution-box. We had about the same interested hearers in our meeting every time.

We decided to move the meetings to the three lower rooms of our house. Here, with a fire in each room, we can make the people more comfortable than in the hall. We now have Sunday meetings. We get the interested ones to attend here, and new ones are also attending and becoming interested. Last Sunday at three P. M. we opened a Bible-class. Several attended. Our first subject was the Sabbath and first-day in the New Testament. The lesson for next Sunday is the Biblical and secular history of the Sabbath. In our last two Sabbath meetings two more have met with us, and others are almost persuaded to unite with us in keeping the Lord’s Sabbath.

Bro. Ings meets with some encouragement in his missionary work from house to house. He has obtained twenty-five subscribers to our periodicals since Jan. 5. We have sold out of this depository, through mail orders and otherwise, books to the amount of £5 ($25). Hundreds are reading our tracts and papers. We receive some encouraging letters from our missionary correspondents. We are in hopes to have a sixty-foot tent in readiness for meetings by the first of May. We can get a tent here for about the same price that we paid in California. The cotton duck costs more than there, but ropes, iron work, and the labor are cheaper. It will be quite expensive seating the tent, as boards are very high. The lumber used here comes from Canada. It is called “deal wood,” and is a species of soft pine. With our tent and by thorough advertising, we hope to get the attention of the public.

We have many things to encourage us,—tokens that the Lord is moving upon hearts. One man, not an Adventist, on learning that we were preparing to purchase a tent, sent us an order for £3 ($15.00) to help in the enterprise. To day we received a letter through the post, promising still further aid in this direction. The tent-maker, a man of considerable means, on learning the nature of our work, at once dropped £15 ($75), on his price for the tent, and besides this offered us a nice British flag, fifteen feet in length, to put on our tent.

March 3. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Notes of News.

—Tennessee has elected a lady its State Librarian.

—The German Reichstag will not be dissolved until autumn.

—President Grevy has granted amnesty to 151 communists, including some of the worst of them.

—The liabilities of Archbishop Purcell are at least $6,000,000, and may exceed this sum.

—The Jewish Times computes the number of Jews all over the world to be 6,503,000.

—Nine-tenths of the 99 criminals in the Ohio Penitentiary for life, owe their imprisonment to whisky.

—A dispatch from Calcutta, dated March 18, states that a great fire was raging in Rangoon that day.

—The Portuguese explorer, Pinto, has arrived at the Transvaal, having traversed Africa from west to east.

—The Irish Presbyterian Church has just lost a gift of $50,000 through its repugnance to what it regards as ritualism.

—The Baptist churches in Sweden have increased from 9 with 476 members in 1855, to 253 with nearly 14,000 members.

—The Sultan of Turkey ratified the Russo-Turkish treaty on the 10th inst., and exchanged congratulations with the Czar.

—There are 1,542 theaters in Europe, of which Italy has 348, France 337, Germany 191, Spain 168, Austria 152, and England 150.

—In a single day in the first week of March, over 3,000 persons passed through Kansas City, Missouri, seeking new homes in the West.

—During last year 327,813 volumes of fiction were drawn from two free libraries in Liverpool, while only 113,391 volumes on all other subjects were drawn.

—The United States is to have 40,000 square feet of space in the International Exhibition to be opened in Sydney, Australia, the first week in September.

—The Northern Pacific Railroad has been running its trains over the Missouri river at Bismarck on rails laid on the ice, a bridge for which they cannot secure a patent.

—It is believed that the newly-invented microphone may be utilized by detecting and announcing the subterranean explosions in volcanic districts which immediately precede earthquake shocks.

—The damage by the recent flood at Szegedin, Hungary, is estimated at £1,500,000; 2,000 farmhouses have been destroyed. It is believed the waters will not entirely have subsided before July.

—An ingenious Meriden mechanic has made a perfect steam-engine, the works of silver and gold, which only weighs fifteen grains; and three drops of water, when heated into steam, will drive it twenty minutes.

—Islands have repeatedly appeared near Sicily, through volcanic submarine action, and have disappeared again, within the last century. In 1783 the island of Nynoe rose above the sea off Iceland, and sank at the end of a year.

—James Freeman Clarke puts the Chinese question in few words very well in saying that in this country if a man is black we enslave him, if he is red we steal his land, and if he is yellow we will not let him come at all.

—Telegraphic rumors from Pekin point to the possibility of war with Russia. St. Petersburg is as confident that this is the result of British intrigue as London is that Russia is backing Afghanistan in the existing unpleasantness.

—At the opening of the Democratic 46th Congress in special session, March 18, it was commonly remarked, by both Democrats and Republicans: “Well, the Confederacy has captured the capital at last.”

—It is stated that in consequence of the shattered condition of the Pontifical finances, and the falling off of the offerings of the faithful, an attempt is being made, under the auspices of the confraternity of St Peter, to give a new impulse to the collection of Peter’s pence.

—After a recent storm in Reading and Allentown, Pa., a strange yellowish deposit resembling sulphur was found on the ground. In some places it was half an inch deep. It had the color and smell of sulphur, and burned as readily, emitting the same fume.

—St. Petersburg, March 18. The Golos states it is more than probable that Russia has notified Turkey of her intention to leave troops south of the Balkans until she is guaranteed against the payment of the war indemnity being prejudiced by the terms of the projected Turkish loan.

—At the recent sale of the Brinley library in New York, which comprised an extraordinary number of antique and curious books, one of John Eliot’s Indian Bibles, of which only a few copies are extant, was sold for $1000, and a perfect copy of “The Bay Psalm-Book,” printed at Cambridge in 1640, was sold for $1,200.

—An estimable young man, the husband of a young wife, was killed in Cincinnati a few days ago, by the careless use of a pistol in the hands of a party of men who were intoxicated, and insisted on firing into the street. He was returning from a business trip East, and had just alighted from the cars at the time of the accident.

—A correspondent of the Christian Weekly says that the gauge invented by Mr. Richards of Philadelphia to measure the 20,000th part of an inch, is behind the time, as he saw in Moravia, N. Y., in 1870, a gauge invented by a workman in the Philadelphia Mint, which would measure the 160,000th part of an inch!

—The Peabody Donation Fund in London, according to the 14th annual report of its trustees, amounts to £699,131, of which £540,948 has been expended. By it 5,170 rooms have been provided for the artisan and laboring poor of that city, comprising 2,348 separate dwellings, occupied by 9,860 persons. The average weekly rent of each dwelling is 4s., 4d.

—The Missionary Herald states that after one of the secretaries of the American Board had recently alluded in a discourse to the change wrought by the gospel in the Fiji Islands, a stranger told him that in 1846, when a boy, he was present at a cannibal feast on one of those islands, presided over by the king. Six years later he united with an assembly of 3,000 Christian worshipers on that same spot, and heard the king publicly avow his reception of Christianity.

—A schism has sprung up in the Greek Orthodox Church which promises to be serious. The Greek government, after allowing it to exist undisturbed for the last five years, has sent officers to take the children from its schools and to close the churches, while all the clergy who have joined the movement have been ordered to retire to a monastery, where they will be subjected to severe penance. The leader of this new party is one Makrakis, who preaches about “restored Christendom,” and proposes a reform within the existing church which shall restore the conditions that prevailed from the first to the third centuries.

—There was considerable excitement in the Reichstag on Monday, March 17, while that body discussed the report explanatory of the action of the government in instituting a petty state of siege in Berlin. Herr Liebknecht, Socialist, strongly censured the measure. He declared that his party is a party of reform, not revolution; he also defended the course of the Socialist deputies in not rising from their seats when cheers were given for the Emperor. Herr Liebknecht remarked, “If a republic is established in Germany,”—but he was unable to finish the sentence on account of the uproar. The President of the Reichstag censured Liebknecht’s course, and threatened to deprive him of his right of speech. Count Von Eulenberg explained that the government’s reason for proclaiming a state of siege was that Berlin was in great danger because it was the home of the Socialist agitation. Referring to what he termed the “assassination and murder epidemic,” he said investigation showed that the instruments of crime were prepared in Berlin and East Prussia.

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