Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-02-17
AN ODD COMMUNITY.

Seventh Day Adventists o. Battle Creek
Awaiting the Coming Of Christ.
For two days in the weck-Saturday
and Sunday-Battle Creek. Mich, IS
the funniest town on earth. Let a man
wal der about for an hour in the main
part Of town. and then saunter out
toward the west end. and he will won
der what is the matter. From the mild
%crowding and surprised rush Of busy
statesmen, which always marks the close
of the week in a county seat, TO the
quiet that reiyns in the division farther
west is indeed "a contrast. for the west
end is the possession Of the Seventh
Day Adventist, and Saturday is his
Sabbath On hat day he rests from
all his labors, and hallows every hour
with calm communion and a sort of ir-
ritated wonder why all other men do
no think as he does about a matter so
plain. The east end-the largest part
of towns just common, and the peo-
pie there follow the habits that have
been observed in ordinary communi
ties from the beginning of settlement IN
the country.
The Adventist is a great fellow to
argue. lie has the Scriptures at his
fingers ends, and at his tongues end,
too, for that matter; and any man not
similarly equipped had better preserve
a golden silence when he comes into
their presence, TO he is liable 10 be smit-
ten hip and thigI in an a-rgumentative
tussle. There i no more doubt in their
minds that s -urday is the sabbath
than hat fire i'll burn. An Adventist
will stop in II middle Of a good meal
and tet his g. nner get cold while he
gives you prof strong as holy writ that
be is right all all dissenters are wrong.
But ther is one fine thing about
him. He a peaceable fellow, and if
you don't trouble him he will leave you
alone. He is as industrious and as or
derry as q Puritan. and he has no sort
of use FOR the frivoliries Of the world.
To him life is indeed real and earnest,
and while he may feel in some measure
responsible for the spiritual welfare Of
his brother, yet he seems also 70 feel
that he will preach a more eloquent
sermon by a daily walk of rectitude
than by the most howery and persist
en- of harangues. He is as industrious
as a Dunkard, as sober as a Quaker, as
thrifty as a Jew, and mikes his ferv-
ency Of spirit with his diligence in bust
ness in a way hat would have satisfied
even the Apostle Paul. His religion is
50 intense, his faith is so close TO him,
20 much a part of the breath he draws
and the food he eats, that he cannot
be severed from it. He knows its
teachings are that he must lead a pure
life in every way and keep the body
ready for the comIa9 of the Lord. for
he surely will come soon. He must alb
stain from all forms of alcohol. tobacco,
opium, tea, coffee, and things Of that
sort.
Take il altogether, Battle Greek is a
curious place. Think of a printing
Office employing 200 hands, where not
one of them uses tobacco, where all Of
them belong 70 the church, and spend
fifteen minutes every Monday morning
at prayer in the chapel Just back Of the
composing room. Why, you couldn't
run a bigger place than that here if you
had all the printers in Michigan 70 draw
on. Think of the different prepara
tons Of grain, all without sugar and
salt, and running from light but cool
tea biscuit 70 charcoal waters" Think
of the intense devotion to church which
pervades all the lives of 1900 people,
and think Of the business ability which
has made and kept the town great in
the midst Of much competition.
Most Of the stores have W big
clocks. and one of them is labeled
standard time, " while the other has
local time engraved on its face. But
whether you goby the sun or the chro-
nometer at Washington these people
are honest. \ pair Of new shoes were
hanging against a mail box last Friday.
Somebody had lost them, and the find
er, not knowing anything better 70 do,
had hung them up there, thinking the
owner might come back and find them.
They were there Saturday night. and
they were there Monday morning.
Cor. Detroit News.