The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-09
The Seventh Day Adventists.

| larry organized school carried out. Inc SuD-
dued murmur fell pleasantly upon the ear, and
the whole scene was well calculated to attract
| the eye The lesson occupied thirty minutes,
| and at the call of the bell the order of exer
cises was changed. The superintendent asked
| general questions and gave explanations from
| large map of Palestine. All seemed deeply
| interested, and the little folks showed by their
| sparkling eyes that they enjoyed the OCCASION
| AT go Elder White preached from Rev
xix, 10. The drift of his discourse went 10
prove that Christ spoke through the prophets
| hence inspired the Bible. Pet, j, IL. The
| relation of Christ to His Fathers law was
| shown and much said concerning the testimony
| of Jesus.
At2p. H. Mrs. White took the stand and
| delivered an impressive sermon from Isaiah
18th. The importance Of giving the trumpet
| a certain sound was illustrated Sonl-stirrlng,
touching words were pressed home to every
heart. 1t is our duty to make the best OF
everything, and to cultivate habit of looking
at the bright side of things. Let the cloud
that shadows us pass over, while we wait
patiently till the clear blue sky again appears,
and the blessed sunshine is revealed. The
WOrlu Is luu Ol ef1l, DuI dluIu It's ~
is our duty to keep the soul uplifted to God.
AS the lily ON the surface of the lake strikes
its channel stem down through the filth and
dirt until it reaches the sand beneath, and
gathers only properties that develop into
pure, spotless flower so the Christian should
stand with his ''life hid with Christ in God"
gathering rays Of glory and dispensing them to
the world. Let go of God? Never. The i'm
mortal glory of the life to come far outshines
the transitory things of earth. God loves man
with love that is infinite-high as heaven,
broad as the world and incomprehensible. We
see an expression of this love in the blooming
| flowers, touched with varied, delicate tints,
| most beautiful to the eye, in the lofty trees
waving with fresh green foliage, in the earth
covered with its soft velvet carpet, and in all
the beauties of nature. eff God so clothe the
| grass of the field, shall He not much more
clothe you o ye of little faith!'' One long,
long summer day will soon brighten the world
with never-fading beauty. Let us look forward
| to that time of rejoicing and find comfort in
| spite of the frosts of earth. A special appeal
was made to the unconverted, and an invita-
ton extended to them to come forward for
pIdyCIS. TIC lIOuu SGdlS WcIc oOOu lillCu WIN
anxious seekers after light. Tears freely
flowed and every heart seemed melted to ten
deness by spirit not of EARTH No noisy
demonstrations were made or undue excite
ment manifested, but deep feeling and contri-
ton for sin seemed to pervade the meeting. ,
AS the sun was setting a beautiful prayer SER
vice was held in the grove. Elder White re-
proved his people for carelessness in the OBJ
servance of the Sabbath Writing letters Wis
iting and talking about secular matters were
denounced as violations of the day. Much
good advice was given which Sunday keepers
would do we'll to apply TO the observance of the
first day.
In the evening Elder Butler gave a lecture
upon Health and Temperance viewing the
subject from Bible standpoint Many people
think there is no religion in eating and drink
ing. We can glorify God or not glorify Him
in these things list Cor. 10, 81. Temperance is
of the fruits of the spirits, Gal. 5. 49, there
fore it must be part of religion. 1t is posi-!
BILE to break the sixth commandment by trans
crossing the laws of health. True temperance
was shown to consist in discarding those things
that are injurious to the health, and using in
moderation those things that are harmless.
SUNDAY.
morning dawned beautifully bright. At five
o'clock the people met in the pavilion, and FL
der Butler continued the subject of temper
ance. The use of tobacco, tea and coffee was
denounced. These habits are modern customs
learned from heather nations The use of to-
bacco is filthy habit. DR.. Clark once said if
he desired to offer q sacrifice to the Devil he
should take hog, stuff it with tobacco and
then present it to his majesty. Christ is our
example. 1t is repulsive to think that He
walked the streets Of Jerusalem smoking CT
gar. The waste of money and t ime was shown,
If man use two inches Of q plug of tobacco
every day in fifty years he would dispose of
nearly mile of the stuff. The effect of this
upon the brain and body was illustrated.
AT $50 the people met in the grove for the
purpose of organizing State Health and Tenn
perance Association. Remarks were made by
Elder White, who stated that Captain Joseph
Bates, one of the most energetic of the early
leaders of the S. ID. Adventist denomination,
was chiefly instrumental in the organization of
of the first teetotal temperance society in
America
Mrs. White gave an able refutation of the
usual objections to signing pledges, with strong
arguments in favor of the same. Three grades
of pledges were introduced and read. One dis
carding the use of alcoholic liquors, tobacco,
tea and coffee; the next lower grade covering
alcoholic liquors and tobacco, and the lowest
grade covering only Intoxicating liquors. The
remark was made that S. d. Adventists should
be prepared to sign the strongest pledge. The
object of the three grades of pledges is to bring
the outside world up gradually to a thorough
going Temperance platform. Certain i'll divi-
duals were requested to go through the audi
ence and solicit signers to the tee-total pledge,
the strongest of the three. Two hundred names
were obtained and State temperance society
fully organized.
The Seventh Day Adventists have Nation
al Health and Temperance Association, the
headquarters of which are in Battle Greek,
Mich. This people take the very front rank in
temperance reform and ever lend their influ-
ence in behalf of the same.
At 1890 the people began to gather from the
village and neighboring towns, and the circle
enclosed by the tents presented lively scene
The bell soon called the moving congregation
| to order, and Elder White took the stand and
| gave some of the reasons OF the Seventh-day
| Adventists faith The principal reason urged
was that they accept the Bible as meaning ex-
dCtly Wud1 IL oetSS,l pdIdulcS tllu uS uIoS GA
| cepted The observance of the seventh day
| was referred to as an example of this, and the
| statement made that the Bible nowhere gives
command for the observance of the first day as
| sacred.
| Elder White'smanner of speaking is some
| what moderate, but having strong, powerful
voice, he holds the attention of his audience
| with ease.
At 1:3O Mrs. White addressed the people
upon the subject of Overcoming" Among
| the things to be overcome are the power of
appetite and the love of the world. Christ was
| tempted on these points and brings his divine
| power to unite with mans human efforts, thus
| opening heaven to the human race. An earn
est appeal was made TO parents to bring their
| children up so as to shine in the courts of the
Lord in the future immortal life of glory, and
not educate them merely for this short, uncer-
tain existence.
Elder Butler preached in the evening upon
! the subject of Sacrifice" Money is given
men to test character. SErouds have no pock-
cts and if treasure is not transferred cover
yonder'' life becomes failure at last. The
great principal of noble, disinterested benevo-
lence was illustrated and much truth spoken.
REPORTER.
STATE NEWS.