p. 719 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 45. (9/18/1893)

Earlier text: HARD TIMES A TEST OF FAITH

SECULAR.

—A block and a half of the business portion of Canby, Minn., was burned on the 8th inst. Loss estimated at $200,000.

—A panic was created in the English House of Commons last week by the sudden death of the scrub woman of the House, from Asiatic cholera.

—A Washington dispatch says that Yang Yu, the new Chinese minister, will withdraw from the country if the Geary Exclusion Law is enforced.

—Hon. Hamilton Fish, who was Secretary of State under President Grant, died at his home in Garrisons, N. Y., on the 7th inst., aged 85 years.

—President Cleveland has appointed Albert S. Willis, of Louisville, Ky., Minister to the Hawaiian Islands to succeed Minister Blount, resigned.

—At Rotterdam, on the 4th inst., twenty-five men were standing on a boat viewing a fire on one of the docks, when the boat upset, and seventeen men were drowned.

—Still more local rebellions are reported in Argentine Republic. The alleged fraudulent election of a governor is said to be the pretext for the latest uprising, that at Tucaman.

—The last monthly report shows the cash balance in the national treasury reduced to $105,000,000, with government expenses running ahead of receipts at the rate of $170,000 a day.

—At Colehour, near Chicago, on the 7th inst., a collision of railroad trains caused the death of eleven persons, besides the injury of thirteen others, some of whom were expected to die.

—On the 13th inst. the great Standard Oil Trust will close operations. A meeting is appointed for that day, when a statement of accounts and report of trustees will wind up the affairs of the trust.

—A recent London dispatch says the gathering of the harvest in Great Britain is practically finished. With scarcely an exception the results are described as the worst known, being even below bad estimates.

—The hop growers in the vicinity of Butteville, Oregon, were obliged to recall a number of discharged Chinese pickers in order to save their crops, as the white employees could not accomplish the work in season.

—A Panama dispatch says that the Legislature of British Guiana offers a bounty of $25 a head for 5,000 Chinamen from the United States. They are wanted to work under contract on sugar plantations and in gold mines.

—In Tulare County, Cal., on the 8th inst. four men, three of them masked, robbed a party of Chinese laborers of $190. The unmasked man was recognized as a leader of anti-Chinese depredations, and has been arrested.

—Another conspiracy to kill the czar is reported to have been discovered at Moscow. A large number of arrests have been made, including eighty-five students, eight professors, and five ladies who belong to aristocratic families.

—The Brazilian navy has revolted because President Peixoto vetoed a bill making it impossible for the vice president to become president. A threat to bombard the city of Rio Janeiro it is said will be opposed by foreign war vessels in port.

—A colony has been organized at Wichita, Kansas, for the purpose of fully testing the Bellamy scheme of cooperative living. As soon as the Cherokee Strip is opened to settlement, a town site will be located for the exclusive use of the colony.

—The latest extensive trust is the Lake Superior Iron Mines, which is to control nine-tenths of the iron product of the United States. The cash capital is $50,000,000, with a reserve of $100,000,000. John D. Rockefeller is one of the leading investors.

—The Chicago Herald says that of the 3,000 Chinese in that city, 1,200 are Masons in various degrees. Their Masonic connection will do more toward annulling the Exclusion Act than any other influence. Ling Tong, of Portland, Oregon, is the highest Chinese official of the order on the Pacific Coast.

—A Russian engineer of high rank is now in California for the purpose of inspecting the various systems of irrigation in vogue in the State. The Russian Government has determined to irrigate the vast province of Astrakhan from the waters of the Volga, and a large sum of money has been appropriated for that purpose.

—Three men rode into Delta, Colo., on the 7th inst., hitched their horses in an alley, and went into the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank. They demanded of the cashier what money he had, and when he refused they shot him dead, grabbed $500 that was in reach through the counter window, and ran, firing back at the assistant cashier. A merchant near by heard the shots, and, grabbing his Winchester rifle, ran after the robbers. He fired after them as they fled, killing two of the men and one horse. The third escaped with only $100 of the money.

—The political situation in Buenos Ayres is still exciting and unsettled. The newspapers have been forbidden to publish any political or military news at all. A newspaper issued in the midst of revolution brought on by political turmoil, yet omitting all reference to political or military matters, would be a curiosity in this country.

—A mob of several hundred Polish and Hungarian laborers in Cleveland, Ohio, assaulted a party of men laboring on sewers, one day last week, because they would not quit work, and a number of men were seriously injured. The city inspector was badly beaten. The police interfered, and after a hard conflict, the ringleaders were arrested.

—Farmers in this State are to a great extent compelled to send their wheat to market because the banks will not loan money on it in warehouses. The hardship is doubly hard because freights are run up on account of the rush and prices are very low. One dealer has succeeded in chartering three-fourths of the tonnage in San Francisco Bay.

—The enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Law has begun in earnest at Redlands, Cal. On the 7th inst. twelve arrests were made on warrants issued by Judge Ross, of the U. S. District Court. This was the first installment of 170 warrants that have been asked for. Other towns in the southern part of the State are about to follow in the work of prosecution.

—A New York dispatch of the 7th inst. says: "A thousand people are starving in the city of Yonkers. To-night in response to a call from Mayor Weller of that city the initial steps were taken to relieve the general distress. At the present time more than 10,000 men and women are unemployed and without means of livelihood. Most of them are hatters and carpet makers."

—Late advices from Japan say that a Japanese emigration stock company has been organized in Yokohama, which proposes to procure and dispatch to foreign places farmers, artisans, and fishermen, who shall remain under the control of the company, and thus promote the welfare and power of the State. The company will purchase desirable land on the Pacific Coast, United States and Canada, and send out emigrants, who shall send their products to Japan to sell on commission.

—It appears that the hostility to the Chinese at Fresno, Cal., comes more from roughs and professional tramps than from the real laboring men. This is evident from the fact that just now there is plenty of work in the adjacent vineyards, yet the meanest kind of depredations are committed on the houses and persons of Chinese by men who do not want to work. The leader of one mob has been convicted of riot, and it is claimed that all the known disturbers of Chinese are non-residents of Fresno.

—The latest report from the great strike of coal miners in England is that the strikers in the various districts of Yorkshire were destroying property and resisting the police. Troops had fired on the rioters at Pontefract, wounding several. The Mansfield and Sheffield Railway had been obliged to suspend fifty-five trains on account of scarcity of fuel. The Midland Railway had also suspended a number of trains. All the collieries in South Wales and Monmouthshire had resumed work, about 100,000 miners who had struck for a twenty per cent. increase of wages having returned to their places under the old conditions.

—A Los Angeles dispatch of the 9th inst. says: "The United States Marshal received orders from United States Attorney-General Olney to carry out the Geary Act, sixth clause and all. 'See to it,' he said, 'that Chinese are deported who have been convicted of not having registered.' Laundrymen, Chinese vegetable dealers, and cooks have struck. Not one vegetable wagon was seen on the streets this morning. The laundries are shorthanded, and collections of money are being made by Chinese, who notify their patrons no more work will be taken. The hotel keepers were forced to send wagons into the country to get vegetables. Over 300 applications for warrants have been made, but none will be issued until after the jail is cleared of Chinese."

RELIGIOUS.

—A Danish-Norwegian Baptist Church has been incorporated in this city.

—The Anglican Church has started a labor colony in South Africa, much like that which General Booth has projected in England.

—A committee of clergymen, representing the principal denominations in San Francisco, has been formed for the purpose of securing the closing of the Midwinter Fair on Sundays.

—According to a writer in the Christian Statesman, when the churches boycott an enterprise that doesn't close on Sunday it is not boycotting, it is simply "a wise agreement on the part of Christian people."

—There are now sixty-seven Baptist Churches in Russia and a membership of 16,443. Pastor S. Lehmann and three other missionaries have lately been banished, and their flocks are constantly made to know tribulation.

—The Golden West Baptist Association (colored) is holding its annual session at Bakersfield, Cal. There is a large attendance, delegates being present from all over the State, and some from Kansas and Texas. There is a flourishing colored colony near Bakersfield.

—An extraordinary scene took place during the afternoon service in Westminster Abbey on a recent Sunday. Samuel Fox, a Quaker, declining to remove his hat, was, after a violent struggle, forcibly ejected. It required the efforts of four of the vergers to remove him from the building.

—A new sabbath has been added to the calendar. In the recent Sunday street-car contest in Toronto, the opponents of Sunday cars were incited to action by the fear that with them would come the infliction of the "Chicago sabbath." Chicago is the field on which the "American sabbath" recently won its boasted victory.

—A press correspondent in Rome telegraphs to London that the Vatican is about to open an inquiry of the most searching character into the latest opposition to Mgr. Satolli in the United States, opposition of which the ramifying influences extend to Rome itself. The Vatican has resolved to act with the greatest energy upon the evidence it secures in the matter.

—One of the legitimate efforts of the Society of Christian Endeavor is providing religious services in the life-saving stations of our country. In twenty-five years these crews in different parts of the world have saved about 1,000,000 lives. Their work cuts them off almost entirely from religious services, and to minister to their spiritual needs is a commendable endeavor.

—The International Sunday School Convention, which was in session in St. Louis last week, according to the secretary's report, represented (in the United States and British America) 1,372,558 officers and teachers, and 10,870,104 pupils. This looks like an enormous army, but when compared with the "vast majority" claim for the "Christian sentiment" that demanded the Sunday closing of the World's Fair, it dwindles to small proportions. If that "sentiment" is half as extensive as claimed (40,000,000 in the United States alone) it might be suspected of boycotting the Sunday schools.

—Kiujiu Machida, a high priest of the Buddhist faith, was in San Francisco last week, having arrived from the East en route to his home in Japan. He wore the long, flowing robes pertaining to his office, and attracted considerable attention. To a reporter he said: "Buddhism is making great headway in my country, and we hope erelong to have some temples established in America. I have met quite a number of Buddhists since my arrival in this country, two months ago." He had been at Chicago, and as far east as Boston, and was expecting to have an interview with some devotees of the faith in San Francisco and Oakland before taking his departure.

—A Mr. Elder, of New Orleans, delegate to the Catholic Congress at Chicago, created a sensation by telling some hard facts in relation to the membership of the church. Amongst other derogatory things he said: "Our inferior position, and it certainly is inferior, is owing almost wholly to ourselves. The great men have been and will continue to be Protestants. I speak not of wealth, but of brain, of energy, of the action of the heart. The great philanthropists, the great orators, the great writers, thinkers, leaders, scientists, inventors, and teachers of our land were and are Protestants." While all this is true, it is also true that they are fast getting control of the politics of the country, as also of the army. But such gains are achieved by cunning rather than by true greatness.

TO THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Weekly Excursions.

ARE you going? If so, it will be to your interest to call on, or write to, the undersigned before arranging for your trip.

The "Santa Fe Route" being the only line under one management from California to Chicago, we can offer you advantages, for a safe and pleasant journey, unsurpassed by other lines.

It is the only line running Pullman Palace and Tourist sleeping cars through to Chicago, every day, without change, on the same train.

Select Overland Excursions leave every Tuesday, with manager in charge through to Boston. Baggage checked to destination. Steamship tickets sold to and from all European points, via all the popular steamship lines. J. J. Warner, Agent, 972 Broadway, Oakland, Cal., or W. A. Bissell, G. P. A. 650 Market Street, Chronicle Building, San Francisco, Cal.

Notes on Missions and Sunday Observance

By Editor

A COMMUNICATION from our missionary ship Pitcairn arrived just too late for this paper. It will appear next week. We rejoice to hear the good news from our brethren. May God bless them in their far-away fields.

We are living in a time of deception. Satan is working "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness;" the article on page 710, "The Weapon against Satan's Delusions," presents the safeguard of every soul.

To Correspondents, Contributors, etc.—We wish to say again that we do not publish nor reply to anonymous communications. We do not ask the name for publication, if not desired by the writer, but the editor must know it as evidence of the good faith of the writer. Those who send anonymous communications to this office may never hope to hear from them again.

THE Occident (the Presbyterian paper of the coast) has two counterblasts on the Sunday-opening and labor question, declaring how displeased (?) God is because the country, and especially the World's Fair Directory, opened the gates on Sunday. Both of these articles are selected, but of course with a purpose. Will the Occident tell the people why God is displeased? He never commanded Sunday to be kept. What law of God is broken by the open Fair on Sunday, or by labor on that day? God's word ought to be of some worth on the question.

THE Apostolic Guide says that a short time since Dr. Pierson, successor to Charles Spurgeon, sent from a communion service by a deacon the sacramental bread and wine to a dying church member, and the messenger "was also instructed to send through her a loving message to the late pastor," Mr. Spurgeon. What is all this but rank Spiritualism or necromancy? The Guide says that "sending communications to the departed, from the standpoint of sentiment, seems not unfitting, though Biblical silence on the subject would seem to be against the establishment of such a custom." The Bible is not only silent as regards the indorsing of such a practice, but it is positively against it. "The dead know not anything." "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not." "Should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." If the above report be true, it is sad indeed to see a man like Dr. Pierson building up in London what he is laboring through the gospel to destroy in heathen lands.

"OUR CHRISTIAN NATION" is a common cry just now from our politico-religio reformers. Because Columbus was a devout Roman Catholic, because the Puritans sought a country where they could undisturbed worship God, with the determination to compel everyone, when possible, to worship as they did, because on our coins is found "In God we trust," because some States recognize the pagan Sunday, therefore this nation is Christian! Yet this is about the course of argument that is pursued. This country is Christian in about the same way as Constantine, the foe to Christianity, was Christian. It has a name to live and is dead.

"CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND THE DECALOGUE" is the title of the second article in our series on religion and State from a Biblical standpoint. We hope that it will be carefully read by all, as we believe that it states the only true principle in the matter. God is "spirit;" his law is the same in nature, and is therefore "spiritual." But no civil government can enforce a spiritual law. God's object through Christ is to place his law in the hearts of men. Heb. 8:10. But this no civil government can accomplish and no human power can prevent if the heart is willing. This article should be widely read. We hope our friends will give it as wide a circulation as possible. The next in the series will consider the mystery of God.

109. WHEN DOES THE SABBATH BEGIN?

By Editor

I have my doubts as to the Sabbath of our God beginning at sunset the previous day. In reading over the record in Genesis we find God says each day, that the evening and morning constituted the day, until he speaks of the seventh.

A SEEKER OF THE TRUTH.

Our correspondent's doubts do not affect the truth. The seventh day was like all the other days as regards ending or beginning. This must have been the case or it would have altered the day before or the day after, or both; for the sixth day began with the evening and closed at the beginning of the next evening, and the first day following the seventh day began and ended in the same way; therefore the same must have been true of the seventh day. Thus also was the yearly sabbath of the atonement kept. See Lev. 23:32. Thus also the Sabbath was observed at the time of our Saviour. Under Pharisæical restriction the Jews would not bring the sick to our Saviour during the hours of the Sabbath, but when it closed they brought them. An instance is given of this in Mark 1. In verse 21 we are told that Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. There he healed a man possessed of a demon, and later the same day, in Peter's house, he healed Peter's wife's mother of a fever. The record continues in verse 32: "And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils." See also Matt. 8:16; Luke 4:31, 40.

Our correspondent quotes the following: "In Him is no darkness at all." "From the rising until the setting of the sun, My name shall be great among the Gentiles." But these texts have nothing to do with the beginning of the Sabbath. The darkness of night and light of day are both alike to God. See Ps. 139:12; 18:11. The second text (wrongly) quoted from Mal. 1:11, simply shows that wherever the sun shines God will have a people to praise him.

CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Editorial.—Notes and Comments—Who Will Heed the Message?—Drifting Romeward—The Human versus the Divine Method—Our Question Corner (Nos. 107, 108, 109, 110)........................................................................705-707, 720

Doctrinal.—The Sparrows Have Found a Place to Build (poetry)—Civil Government and the Decalogue—The Sinfulness of Sin—Righteousness by Faith—The Lord's Day—The Tendency of the Times........707-709

Miscellaneous.—The Christian's Desire (poetry)—The Weapon against Satan's Delusions—Our Priest-King—The Signs of the Times—From Darkness to Light—Evil of a State Theology—Reaching the Masses—I Can Trust (poetry)—True Blue—"Take My Hand, Papa"...................................................................................................................710-713

Home and Health.—Gethsemane (poetry)—Better than a Fairy—The Treatment of Disease without Alcohol—Krupp's Big Gun—Piercing Twelve-Inch Armor—The Effects of Beer—The Telautograph—The Church Ice Cream and Oyster Business........713, 714

Mission Fields.—Stars (poetry)—Korea—Notes........715, 716

Our Work and Workers.—The Great Refiner (poetry)—Hard Times a Test of Faith—Tahiti Items—Field Notes—To Our People................................................................................................................716-718

International S. S. Lessons.—The Power of the Gospel (Lesson 1, Sunday, October 1, 1893)—A Temperance Lesson (Lesson 14, Sabbath, September 30)......718

News and Notes.—Religious—Secular.......................................719

OUR QUESTION CORNER.

By Editor

[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries on scriptural topics or moral questions as may be sent us. Questions which minister strife to no profit to our readers will not be answered here. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. The questions will be numbered continuously.]

107. COMPULSION NOT SCRIPTURAL.

DEAR EDITOR: Please answer the following in the Question Corner of the SIGNS:— Has any civil or ecclesiastical power, except the theocracy of Israel, ever enforced any requirement of the Bible? Is it not true that when any power goes to enforcing religion, it enforces something not taught by the Bible?

The answer to this question will be found in No. 44 of the SIGNS, date, September 11, the last two paragraphs of first column page 690. The fact is that error is of Satan, and with error always goes the spirit of error or compulsion. With the truth is the Spirit of Christ, which is the spirit of love. Love will never persecute. See John 16:1-3.

108. WHO DOES KNOW?

By Editor

An explanation is desired of 2 Cor. 12:2.

The text reads: "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth); such an one caught up to the third heaven." We do not know what there is to explain about the matter. The apostle states that this man (evidently himself) was caught up to the heaven where God dwells, and beheld visions and revelations of God's glory; but whether Paul saw these while remaining on the earth, by a vision of the mind, as in a dream or trance, or whether he was caught up bodily into heaven, he did not know. What mortal does know? And yet there are those who tell us that Paul had an immortal spirit which made this journey. It would certainly be seemly for all to be as modest over the matter as the apostle.

110. FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES.

By Editor

A converted Jew told me last night that he is of the opinion that there is a larger percentage of his own people coming to Christ than from any other class of people. In view of this would like to ask, What is your understanding of "the coming in of the fullness of the Gentiles"? Shall we then look for many Jews to accept Christ?

The above opinion may be true, though we doubt it. "The fullness of the Gentiles" does not mean any number of Gentiles, for fullness must necessarily include everyone; and we know that every Gentile will not be saved. Not but what everyone could be saved if he would, but God has told us that many would choose the way of death. The fullness must mean that in which the Gentiles may find their fullness, which will make them complete. But this is in Christ, "for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell" (Col. 1:19); "for in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (2:9), and the apostle continues, addressing a Gentile church, "And ye are complete in Him" (verse 10).

It therefore follows that as all fullness is in Christ, it is nowhere else; and if Gentiles are complete in him, they can be complete in nothing else. The coming in of this fullness to the Gentiles was when the Jews were cast off as a people, and the door of salvation opened alike to all. Not but what the Gentiles could always come through the Jews, but, when the Jews were cast off, or cut themselves off as a nation, Christ was manifested to the whole world as he had before been to the Jews, as their fullness. Of the Jews John said: "Of His [Christ's] fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." John 1:16. But when Jews and Gentiles all become baptized by the one Spirit into the one body, Christ, the fullness of both Jew and Gentile is the Head. See 1 Cor. 12:12, 13; Eph. 1:22, 23.