The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-01-18
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

nestled among the quiet hills of Solano
county, some sixty miles northeast of
San Francisco, and four and one-half
miles from Elmira, the nearest station
Of the. e.California Pacific.
Finding here kind and bospitable
friends, who, though strangers, were
not unknown to Us, because Of the rela-
tionship existing between them aud one
who for half a score of years has silent in
the green bosom of an Oregon hillside.
we prepared ourself for a season of rest
and recreation Of which we had some
times dared to dream, but never really
expected to enjoy until We had reached
the beautiful hills and perennial gar
dens Of the mystic Summer land. -
Unpacking our trunk, we were soon
domieiled aud quite at home, and being
under orders from headquarters to re-
main away 1.-TWO months at least" we
for the first time in our life felt that we
had ample leisure to look about US.
Surrounded by "a rim Of blue hills that
edge the darker mountains beyond is
situated the village of Vacaville. A
somewhat pretentious brick building,
which bears the high-soundIng and
comprehensive cognomen of california
College," occupies a slightly elevated
position. The Baptists, who own and
control this school, feel a pardouable
pride in its prosperity and the motto,
Retigio ct ScieHtid, arranged in letters
OF evergreen over the chapel rostrum
speak the fact that its professors are ex-
pected 70 perform the task of harmonic
ing science and religion so far at least
as their iron creeds will allow. At the
time of our first visit to this chapel a de-
bate was in progress therein between a
Seventh Day Adventist and a Camp
bellite brother relative to the tenets to
which each pinned his faith, and to
which all faithful followers are expected,
without further proof than their oraeles
give, to devoutly murmur "Amen. !"
The Sabbath question was being dis
cussed, the Adventist asserting that the
seventh day Of the week was the day
designated by divine authority. He
piled up proof strong as Holy Writ, for
it was Holy Writ itself, in support of
his affirmation, while his opponent as
positively denied his adversary's as
sumptions, asserting as counter proof
that ''old things had passed away and
all things had become new"
After listening four hours to the hurl-
ing back and forth Of Scripture texts,
the rambling talk about the tables of
stone, the new covenant, the plucking
of corn on the Sabbath day, etc, etc,
we retired from the scene Of the eeclesi-
astical contest, retaining barely enough
knowledge of Scripture from the confu-
sion of argument to mutter, as we
stepped outside, "Verily, there be those
who strain at gnats and swallow cam
els" One argument (?) advanced we
will notice, not because it has any bear
ing whichever upon the subject under
discussion, but because it shows that
not in Oregon alone are men found who
teach that women are held in the path
Of virtue and rectitude solely by the re-
strictions imposed by the laws of men.
Laboring hard to prove the steadfast-
ness Of ancient law, one Of the dis
putants lugged in, with what relevancy
we failed to see, the assertion that a
woman was bound by the law, so long
as her husband lived, but by his death
was freed from the law, whereat his ad-
versary responded that with such an in
depreciation as that, a woman marrying
a second time was not bound by the
law, but could Commit adultery or
anything else she pleased"
How men can expect to honor and
glorify God by thus insulting woman
hood we confess ourself incapable of un-
derstanding. And while those who ar
rogantly proclaim themselves called Of
Jehovah to establish his kingdom on
earth are thus toiling, with dark and
crooked reasoning, to settle a question
that, if it could be settled, would have
not the slightest bearing upon either
the temporal OF spiritual welfare of hu-
manity, the vast majority of their hear
ers feed upon husks spiritually, IN
taught even in the commonest elements
of justice, bearing alike upon their
physical and mental natures the impress
of the ignorance Of their progenitors,
and bestowing the same unholy legacy
to their own offspring. But lest our
readers think that Vacaville is only an-
other name for california College" we
must return from this long depression.
We find here the usual quota of
the public school house.
which in every hamlet betokens the de-
of American parents to
supplant ignorance with learning,
thereby all unwittingly sowing the1
germ Of equal rights regardless of sex in /
the minds Of the rising generation; the
white cottages with green blinds, and
yards tastefully planted, even at mid
winter, in bloom, present an appearance
at once pleasing and home-like, while
now and then a more commodious
dwelling Of brick causes you to remem-
Der that between this place aud the
lumber yards Of Washington Territory
leagues softempestuous waters intervene.
We have noticed that the majority of
iarm-houses in this region are much
smaller than are those of farmers
squally weil-to-do in Oregon, and this