The Seventh-Day Adventists.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 275, 29 November 1901, Page 3

The Seventh-Day Adventists.

A VISIT TO THEIR CAMP AND THEIR WORK IN GENERAL. (From the Manawatu Evening Standard.) The Seventh-Day Adventists are now holding one o£ their well and favorably-known camp meetings in Palmerston. The camp is located on the east side of the Square. Already twenty-five tents have been erected, the large preaching tent being in the centre. About seventy persons are living in the camp. The whole encampment presents a very picturesque appearance and the occupants of the various tents appear very comfortable and happy. They enter into camp-life with whole-hearted cheerfulness, for, while intensely in earnest, they do not believe in, “ long-faced ” religion. Visitors are made very welcome, and are greeted with a cordiality that is quite refreshing. A food tent has already been opened, where their special foods are on sale. Among these may be mentioned “prolose” (a vegetable meat), “ nut butter,” “granose,” and “ cara-mel-cereal ” (a capital substitute for tea and coffee). A book tent is shortly to be opened for the sale of the excellent publications issued by these people. They believe that the end of the world is not far off, and that in proclaiming this “message” they are filling a position akin to that of Noah just before the Flood. The Seventh-Day Adventists prohibit the use of alcohol and tobacco and other injurious narcotics and stimulants. Notwithstanding their position on these things and their rigid adherence to the Bible as they understand it, since their rise in 1646. they have rapidly increased and now number over 75,000. They began aggressive work in these colonies abou 14 years ago. Their membership m Austra asia now stands at nearly 2500. The Rible, they state, is their sole rule of faith. Then- tap,d increase in membership is undoubtedly due, in a large measure, to their Chnstian-help work, in which they are indefatigable. I hey are noted temperance workers. Last year they circulated and placed in the homes of the people of New Zealand nearly £3OOO worth of health and temperance literature of the highest order. The late Mr Grant, of this city, recently stated that Dr J. H. Kellogg’s Physiology for Schools was the most scientific and perfectly-adapted worfor public school instruction. Dr J. H. if he stated, is the head of the

Kpllncrc. it may be stated, is sub nreat “ Sanitarium ” at Battle Creek, L.S.A., the largest institution of its kind in the world, employing over 1000 nurses and assistants. Quite a number of noted physi - eians have graduated from his Medical Collc'C. He is a great philanthrophist, having established an Orphans’ Home and a Home for the Aged at a cost of over £IO.OOO. He has also the oversigat of a very large charitable institution in Chicago. The Battle Creek sanitarium is the parent of simila institutions in many parts of the world, two oi which are located in these colonies, at Sydney and Christchurch. The one a Sydney has built up such a connexion that the present premises are too small, and a larmfbuilding is in process cf construction at Turrambrra, at a cost of £IO,OOO. This new "sanitarium” is beautifully situated, and - being fitted up with all the o latC £ SC,^‘ £ t and medical improvements. The Christ Church'institution is located at Papanui, one of the most beautiful suburbs of the Cathedral City At these sanitariums the sick are inducted how to regain and retain sound health. Drugs are largely discarded, and rational methods, such as dieting, hydropathy, massage and electricity, are employed instead. In many P lac “_"® c- iu rv-»v- Adventists have estaoluhed

Seventh-Day Adventists nave schools and colleges of their o*n. home of these colleges, nolitblv Union college, fsebraska! and Battle Greek College, Michigan have exceedingly large attendances. The Adventists attach great importance to the industrial idea in education. In a,I tueir =choo!s a speciality is made of tne study of the Bible and oi nature. They believe that there is a perfect agreement between .he statements of the Bible and the teachings of nature. At Avondale, Cooranbong, « they have established a very finc_ scuool indeed, in which both young men ana young women are educated to become a blessing to themselves and to tlieir fellow mortals, ine attendance at the Avondale school is not restricted to Adventists, but is open to all worthy persons of both sexes. The Avondale Press and the Sanitarian). Health Food Corn- : pany’s factory and the Avondale Hcaltn ■ Retreat are also located at Coorapbong, aud

are connected with the Avondale school. In Melbourne the Adventi3ts own and manage the “Echo” Publishing Co., which does some of the best work in Victoria, and employs nearly one hundred hands. The Adventists have just ended a remarkably successful camp meeting at Singleton, N.fj.W. and at Brunswick, Victoria, where an intense interest wa3 taken by the public in the priricipal meetings.