p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 2. (1/10/1906)

BOOK NOTICES.

By Editor

The Red Telephone; or Tricks of the Tempter Exposed. By Lilian M. Heath. Cloth; 398 large pages; over 40 full-page illustrations. W. R. Van Sant, Publishers. 351 Dearborn Street, Chicago.

This is not such a lurid book as its name implies. The lady author represents sin by the under world, and the calls to sin on every hand are messages from the under world over the "red telephone." It is designed to portray the grave dangers found in the various walks of life, the pitfalls and methods of escape, in short, a warning note to save young men and women from wreck and ruin. These temptations are set forth as various calls over forty wires of the red telephone. For instance, the first chapter, "An Old Acquaintance" reveals the selfishness in making "number one" first. The object of the allegory is to call souls from the oneness of self to the oneness of God. Among the "common traps" to ensnare souls are idleness, intemperance, gambling, the dance hall, and many, many other things which lead downward to destruction. The allegory is not a Pilgrim's Progress, but it is an earnest, clean book, and will help in these days of great need.

The Eye, Mind Energy, and Matter. By Chalmers Prentice, M.D. Cloth, 132 pages. Published by the author, Chicago, Ill.

The author contends truly that man is made up of physical, mental, and psychic forces; that the overtaxing of a function in continuous excessive demand on the common energy fund deprives other parts of healthy functioning power; and that, of all organs in the body, the eyes are most capable of demanding and getting an excessive share of the general fund of nerve energy from the human power-house. He sustains his conclusions by good arguments. Further conclusion inevitably follows that through the overuse of the eye, strained vision, and other abuses, the nerve energy is weakened, and rendered much more susceptible to attack. Glasses well fitted often aggravate the trouble, leading to further overtaxation. Indoor work, using the eye in short range, is responsible for serious difficulties. Helpful suggestions are given. The author truly says that God made our eyes much more perfect than they are, but "He did not invent the present, so-called civilization."

Studies in Character Building. By Mrs. E. E. Kellogg, A.M., author of "Science in the Kitchen," etc. Cloth; 368 pages; illustrated. Good Health Publishing Company, Battle Creek, Mich.

This book sets forth the methods which have been followed in the Haskell Home in Battle Creek, Mich., and the lessons which have been learned there. Some of the chapter headings will give a good idea of the book: Held in Trust; The Parents' Equipment; Come Let Us Live with Our Children; Overcome Evil with Good; Obedience; Self-control; Education and Appetite; Purity and Parental Responsibility; Training in Truthfulness; The Question of Punishment; Patience; Perseverance; Physical Culture; Employment for Little Fingers. It is full of helpful suggestion to mothers, and its perusal will enable them to see more of their God-given mission.

What a Young Man Ought to Know. By Sylvanus Stall, D.D. New Revised Edition. 280 pages. Cloth, $1.00, net post free. Vir Publishing Company, 2237 Land Title Building, Philadelphia.

Dr. Stall has done good service to the young men of this generation in stating important truth in a clean, delicate, forcible way. Every young man would do well to read the book. It has a supplement on Physical Culture of eight pages, with diagrams for exercise. The information given as to one's own being and its purpose, apart from its moral instruction, is worth many times the price of the book.

The Parochial School. A Curse to the Church; a Menace to the Nation. By Rev. Jeremiah J. Crowley, a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and American citizen. Illustrated; cloth; 416 pages. Published by the Author, Sherman House, Chicago, Ill.

This book, as declared on its title page, is "an exposé of the parochial school. It is an account of "an appalling amount of priestly graft, sacrilege, and immorality in the Roman priesthood. Archbishop Katzer of Milwaukee is quoted on the title page as saying: "I am convinced that Almighty God brought Father Crowley to America to save the Catholic Church." Mr. Crowley, who declares himself a Catholic forever, presents a fearful arraignment of the priests who are principals and upholders of the parochial schools. He charges them with graft, drunkenness, lechery, lewdness, and other sins innumerable, and when exposed the priest is often removed, promoted, and allowed to continue his hellish work. Persistent attempts, we are told, are made, and will be continued, to place a papal nuncio at Washington and an American ambassador at Rome.

The Apple of Discord; or Temporal Power in the Catholic Church. By a Roman Catholic. Cloth. 26 chapters; 496 pages. The Apple of Discord Co., Buffalo, N. Y.

The writer does not give his name. Evidently he does not believe in the restoring of temporal power to the Papacy, because of the difficulties and discord bound to follow, and because he believes it would be better for the church spiritually to be as she now is. Still he holds that "the Catholic Church had a palpable excuse for exercising temporal or political power as long as the Christian commonwealths of Europe were in their period of formation. Laws had to be made, records of deeds had to be kept, and justice had to be administered; for having done this, the church deserves the gratitude of all future generations." But this admission is fatal to all following argument. If in the beginning it was right for the church to leave her God-given mission for the low political realm, it was right that she could continue therein. But those very laws she in the beginning helped to make have been the germ of all trouble which has followed. The church of God in no age, under no circumstances, has any business to assume, or strive for, temporal power. It is always to her ruin spiritually and the ruin of the world. The author begins the temporal power with Pepin's grant to Innocent III. in 752. Neither has the church any more right to the spiritual domination granted her by civil law during the Medieval Ages.

Outline Studies in Bible Doctrine. By J. E. Fulton. Avondale Press, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia.

This is a pamphlet of 80 pages, containing 161 short lesson outlines of various Biblical subjects with Scriptural or historical answers. It would prove a real help to the beginner in systematic topical Bible study.

The Bible Chemistry Course. For use in Young People's Bible classes. By Leonard W. Doolan, Waco, Texas.

This large page, nicely printed, pamphlet of 32 pages, with cloth-backed paper cover, contains a deal of information on both the Old and New Testaments. Twelve subjects are considered in each. The special feature is the formulas and directions for illustrative chemical experiments on each topic. This is a revised edition, the price of which is 50 cents.

Jonah and the Sea Monster is the title of an unpretentious tract of 20 pages by W. H. Littlejohn, Battle Creek, Mich., in which the Holy Scriptures are "defended against the attacks of infidels, atheists, and the higher critics." It is an able argument, worth reading.

WANTED—A PRONOUN.

VOLUMINOUS as are the new dictionaries, they are not yet full enough. The need of a pronoun in the singular number which may be used for either gender, has become importunate, and they have done nothing to meet it. Thon has been suggested, but it is heavy and unwieldly. A recent writer in the Tribune sends the following pleasant bit of doggerel by way of argument in favor of the old Shakespearean pronoun, "ta," which, as will be seen, readily accommodates itself to case inflection:

With all the words e'er said or sung In this, our copious English tongue, One word is wanting that no wight Has ever skilled to hit aright, And plant it root-fast, as a daisy Among the crowds of posies mazy— Our vast vocabulary garden. The task is certainly a hard one. It must be curt, and apt, and trim, Mean he or she, mean her or him, Case, number, person clearly render, But undetermined leave the gender, Whoever such a word shall hit on, A simple, modest, living, fit one, Linked with its sisters, owned as proper, No acknowledged interloper. Ta will deserve a meed of fame, Honors will cluster 'round ta's name, And all shall long remember tan, Be it woman, or be it man.

SUNSET MAGAZINE

DESCRIBES

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A Kingdom Not a Republic

A Kingdom Not a Republic.—It was fondly thought that Norway's new government would be a republic instead of a kingdom, but the news comes that Prince Charles of Denmark was elected king by vote of 257,710 to 68,852. The Republicans were greatly disappointed that their vote was so small. He takes the title of Haakon VII., thus connecting it with the old Norwegian kingdom, which closed in 1319. His wife, Princess Maud, is the daughter of King Edward, and he has a two-year-old son, Alexander. As the world goes, he seems to have had a good training, and bids fair to be as good a ruler as any of the kings which Europe possesses.

UNITED STATES' BIG GOLD PILE.

By Springfield Republican

No Other Government Has Ever Held So Much of the Precious Metal.

THE treasurer of the United States, in his annual report for the fiscal year 1905, says: There is an increased demand for more paper currency of the denomination of $10 and under, owing to the expansion and development of the business interests of the country. The treasury has partially supplied the needs by redeeming and retiring notes of the larger denominations and issuing those of the smaller. For the past two years the expenditures of the government have been in excess of the revenues to the aggregate amount of more than $64,000,000. This, however, included the extraordinary expenditure in 1904 of $50,000,000 on account of the Panama Canal. This is the first year in the past six years when the ordinary expenditures were in excess of the revenues. The amount was $23,004,228. The available cash balance June 30 last of $145,477,491, largely the accumulation of former years, is deemed adequate to meet the demands upon the treasury for some time to come.

The coinage of silver dollars was discontinued during the year, owing to the exhaustion of the silver bullion available. The stock of this coin in the country June 30 last was $558,815,865, exclusive of $9,413,000 of such coin held in the treasury against outstanding treasury notes. The amount of silver dollars in circulation June 30, 1905, was $73,584,336, as against $71,313,826 the twelve months before. It is estimated that the maximum circulation of silver dollars has been reached. The total number of these dollars received annually at the treasury office is about $50,000,000, and of this amount for the coming years it is estimated that more than $600,000 annually will be in worn and abraded coin unfit for circulation.—Springfield Republican.

Current Events and Conference News

By Editor

The report of the great Inter-church Conference on Federation is rapidly drawing to a close. The report of the last meeting will be given next week. Then we shall draw some lessons tremendous in their importance. Read the reports that you may better understand the lessons.

Russia.—At the time of closing our forms the fighting is still going on in Moscow. The city has been bombarded and shelled till many houses are in ruins, and thousands have been killed. December 30 a two or three days' battle was expected before the uprising could be suppressed. A vast area of the city is under a rebel government, and perfect order is preserved. Two thousand revolutionaries perished in the fight of December 30, and that will probably break the strength of the rebellion there. One revolutionary feels that their attack on the government was premature. Later news may modify all this. It is stated by an eye-witness that 7,500 persons (mostly Chinese) were killed during the Vladivostok mutiny, and $20,000,000 worth of property destroyed. Strange to say no Japanese were harmed.

Parochial Schools.—The first annual announcement of the primary parochial schools of the California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, issued really after school terms began, is before us. It shows that the schools throughout the state are organized under a better system than ever before. Regular terms are instituted and a regular course of study laid out for three years in the primary department, three more for the intermediate department, and one in the advanced department, with two other additional years suggested. The additional year is taken in connection with the college and advanced schools. A splendid course of training, mental, moral, and religious, is outlined, and we are sure if they are taken hold of with earnestness and zeal that these schools can be made the very best schools in the state. These announcements may be had by addressing the school superintendent, Prof. E. D. Sharpe, 1059 Castro St., Oakland, California.

"Outline of Mission Fields."—We have received from our Foreign Mission Board, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., a little pamphlet of 64 pages giving a brief sketch of Mission Fields which Seventh-day Adventists have entered in lands outside of America. It is a splendid little help, and the only fault we have to find with it is that it is not large enough and full enough. But it is as full as it can be for its size. We are glad to get it.

Revelations of Public Corruption

By Editor

The revelations of greed, fraud, dishonesty, etc., with which the public have been surfeited during the last two years or more seem limited only by the right kind of men to investigate. The mine seems inexhaustible. These revelations began with McClure's—Miss Tarbell's articles on Standard Oil, Mr. Baker's on the labor world, and Mr. Lincoln Steffens' on various municipalities. Since that Leslie's has given us somewhat of the conditions prevailing in Congress; Lawson has opened up the Amalgamated and other allied corporations; Mr. Hughes has, in his keen probing, laid bare the big insurance companies; great land frauds of the West have been shown up by Mr. Heney; Mr. Russell has opened barrels of putridity in the beef trust; and Collier's has uncorked the corruption of the patent medicine conspiracy. And so the thing goes on. These revelations of corruption, with all the various ramifications in all grades of society, show just what God's Word has clearly revealed, that the human heart is corrupt and desperately wicked; and these things further show, because very much of this crime has been committed by those who profess better things, that we are in that period of time which the apostle foresaw and foretold in 2 Tim. 3:1-5 as follows: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away."

Turning Back.—Some of the daily papers have been making much of the fact that a colored bishop in Sierra Leone, after a service of years in the church has turned back in his old age to cannibalism, and stating that Christians and supporters of the mission and acquaintances of the man are wondering how these things can be. It is not a difficult thing to understand if we believe God's Word. The simple fact seems to be that this missionary simply played a part to a large extent all his life, that he was never really converted or regenerated, and had never tasted the sweets of salvation, and the recreating power of God had never regenerated his soul. The flesh had been still kept alive until at last he yielded to it. It is the test of temptation which tries character, and every man will be tried. In these days of multitudinous temptations we shall see more and more such terrible falls, and shall find chaff where we thought only to be wheat; yet of all this God has forewarned us. None of these things should decrease our courage. As one writer has stated, in these days we should gather courage from others' cowardice, warmth from others' coldness, and loyalty from others' treason. God lives and is faithful; He can not deny Himself.

A Home Coming.—June 13-17, 1906, is set for a "Home Coming" Kentucky week in Louisville, and all Kentuckians are invited. We have also received a hearty invitation on beautifully decorated notehead, in colors, from Mr. (or is it Colonel?) R. E. Hughes, the secretary of the Commercial Club of Louisville. "General Welcome Day," "Stephen Foster Day," "Daniel Boone Day," "Greater Kentucky Day," etc., we are sure will abound in generous hospitality and Kentucky sunshine. Unfortunately we can not attend for various reasons. If we could, it would be as a stranger, for whom we are assured the latch-string hangs out. But this calls to mind and heart another greater "Home Coming," which Kentuckians even will admit is bound to eclipse that of the state of Daniel Boone, or "My Old Kentucky Home." That is the Home Coming of the Ages in which the Great King calls all weary wanderers of every land. We can not announce the date, but it is coming, and the Master of the Ceremonies bids us all to be ready. Special robes of character are all that are necessary to admit any one to a part in that Home Coming, and these robes are furnished by Him who calls us. But we must be willing to be made ready. It is worth while, friends, Kentuckians, Californians, Japanese, Russians, one and all. You are all welcome.

For the Railways.—From H. T. Newcomb, Bond Building, Washington, D. C., comes a pamphlet of 192 pages entitled "The Facts about Railroad Rates," in which are stated "some of the principle facts and arguments which demonstrate the gains that result to all producers and consumers from the free action of the commercial forces in shipping and transportation, and the losses that result from unwise statutory restrictions." No reasonable regulations for the suppression of rebates is touched; discrimination or abuses of any kind, in the railroad's rates or methods, are opposed. It is a word on the railroad's side of the question. All gross earnings of the railroads for the year 1903 are given in a diagram; for instance, labor is paid 40.8 per cent.; interest comes next, 14.62 per cent., or nearly 4½ per cent. of the funded debt; dividends 8.74 per cent., or 2.5 per cent. on the capital stock; fuel and oil come next, 8.12 per cent.; taxes, 3.5 per cent., etc., etc., with about twenty other items. The author of the book would be glad to give any other information to those who write.

"The Way" is a little monthly hailing from the university town of Berkeley, published by the Way Publishing Company. It has to do with education along advanced and wholesome lines, mentally and morally. Articles of note in the issue before us are "Short Talks to Busy People," "Things Smaller than Atoms, and, What They Teach Us," and "Faith and the Bible." The price is 5 cents a copy, or fifty cents a year. It is a good paper to circulate among the students in the universities of our land.

"The Chicago Daily Review" has been purchased by the Woman's National Daily, of the Lewis Publishing Company, University Heights, St. Louis, Mo. It will fill all subscriptions of the Daily Review by the Woman's National Daily, published at the same price, at one dollar a year. It promises not only a good paper, but a clean paper.

ARTICLES OF INTEREST ON MISSIONS.

By Editor

We expect to publish early in the year five articles on Japan as follows:

Japan in History.
Japan as a Military Power.
Domestic and Social Life in Japan.
The Religions of Japan.
Work Days and Play Days in Japan.

The latter may seem to have little to do with missions, but those who know about the customs of the Japanese know that these are intimately connected with the life of the people. There will be something of the last restoration of the week in Japan in connection with this last article. We will also publish at a little later date the following on Korea:

An Historical Sketch of the Hermit Kingdom.
The Political Situation in Korea.
Manners and Customs of Korea.
Christianity in Korea.

And we hope in connection with both of these series to tell what our own workers have been doing in these lands and how the Third Angel's Message is progressing. We are sure that these will be of great interest. They are not encyclopedic articles, but are written by one who is on the ground and acquainted with the field.