p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 33. (8/22/1911)

"Questions and Answers"

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Praise to God

By E. W. Clement

The moon and stars shine bright above; They give their light by night. The sun within its orbit moves By day to give us light.

The earth with all its verdure green Beneath our feet is spread; The flowers shoot forth in early spring From out their silent bed.

The trees put on their leafy garb, The woods with music ring; The birds their merry voices raise In anthems to their King.

Let earth and sea and sky proclaim Thy wondrous works and Word; Let man his voice in praises raise To glorify his Lord.

What Christianity Has Done for Some Chinese

PHILOSOPHY, civilization, commerce,—none of these things regenerate the hearts of men or make them new creatures. Graduates from the best universities may still be heartless and reprobates; the children of the best citizens may stoop to do the meanest acts of avarice and crime; the richest tradesmen and the ablest financiers may possess all the qualities of the gambler and the spendthrift, the highway robber and the public defaulter; in none of these things is there any such thing as regeneration, a renewed conscience, a new heart.

But when you come to Christianity, the first thing the individual learns is the necessity of being “born again.” He is taught that all his old ways are wicked, full of self and sin, and the only hope of his soul lies in his being made a new creature in Christ Jesus. True, all this talk of being born again is a mystery to the hearer, nor does he realize what it all means; but he places himself in the channel of the Spirit of God, and accepts the Word, and divine grace does the rest. Sorrow for sin comes in due time when the conscience is once aroused and the poor soul sees himself as compared to the Sinless One.

What God does for one soul, He can as easily and as readily do for all, would they but come to Him and be saved. That Christianity is the means of bringing the heathen to a knowledge of sin, and awakening in them a consciousness of guilt, is a fact. Just as soon as a heathen accepts the Word of God as the rule of his life, and Christ as his Saviour, he finds peace with God. It was my privilege to be in a testimony meeting the other night where a large assembly of Chinese heathen and Christians were assembled. It was the regular prayer-meeting night, and two hundred heathen had come to hear what was said. After the minister in charge had talked for about twenty minutes, he turned the meeting into a testimony service; and I was never more surprised than to hear what God had done for some of these dear souls.

No sooner had the pastor opened the meeting for any one who wished to witness for God, than a man from the middle of the congregation arose and hurried to the platform and began speaking. He had been a Christian but a short time, but he witnessed for the Lord in a most positive testimony. The speaker was from the famine-stricken district in the province of Anhui. He said: “Last fall my only son was very sick. I had all the Chinese medicine-men in our section of the country doctor him, and they all told me that my son could not live. I bought his coffin and his burial clothes, and had everything ready for his expected death. During my grief, which was very great, a Christian called on me, and told me that God could heal my son and restore him to health if I would only pray to Him. But I did not know how to pray. I at once set myself to seek God, so that I might have His help in this time of my great need. I confessed my sins, and promised the Lord my life if He would heal my son. The Lord in heaven heard my prayer, and my son was healed, and recovered his health, and is alive to-night. The Lord raised him from the dead, for all hope of his living was gone. Friends, I know God hears prayer, and that His Word is true. I was a wicked man; but I found healing for all my sins from the same God who healed my son.”

Brother Mei, a new convert from the city of Hankow, said: “About three months ago I wanted baptism. The day was previously set, and when the time came I was sick, and besides there was a hard snow-storm. We had to go out of town for some distance, for there was no place in the city where we could have this ordinance. It was a cold, windy day; and my friends told me it would kill me to go into the water on such a day as that. But I wanted baptism, and so I ventured with others to go forward in that sacred ordinance. I went into the water and was baptized, and felt better from that very hour. My sickness left me, and I was healed. I used to be a heathen and worshiped idols; but when the Lord sent me His Word, I believed and obeyed. Since then I have tried to follow the Word of God and obey His commandments. Years ago I was impressed to cut off my cue, when all my friends laughed at me. Shall I now fear to follow my Lord if others mock and deride me? My son was a heathen, and when I became a Christian he left home. I took his name to the Lord in prayer, and asked the Lord to save my son. The Lord has answered my prayers; for my son is now converted and is a baptized Christian. I know there is a God that hears prayer and can save sinners.”

Liu Tien Bang, from Chow Kia Kow, said: “When I first heard the truth, I opposed it with all my might. I hated it, and hated all Christians and all foreigners. Then there came to our province a terrible famine, and I took the plague, and expected to die. All hopes of my recovery were given up, and I believed my end was near. In this condition, waiting for death to do its work, the words of the Gospel came to me with great force. A conviction came to me that I was a bad man, and needed help to die. I could not shake the conviction off that what I had heard about God and sin was true, but there was no help for me. I became so distressed in mind that I called my father, and asked him to go to a certain Christian I knew, and tell him that I was dying and wanted to hear about God. The man came to see me. I was dying with the plague; but my sins seemed to be crushing all hope out of my heart. This man showed me how to pray, and I confessed my sins and found pardon and peace. The plague left me, I recovered my health, and have since loved my Saviour. I was a gambler; I drank; I worshiped idols; but the Lord has saved me from all these sins and given me the victory. Surely the Lord is good, and I love Him.”

Other Idolaters Helped

Another brother from Honan said: “I have been a believer for four years. Before I was converted, I was an idolater. I was constable for our district, and as such controlled all the temple worship in my territory. My son was taken very sick and given up to die. I did not take him to the temple to be healed, for I knew there was nothing the priests could do to heal him. I called upon God to spare the life of my son. He heard my prayer, and I have given Him my heart. I gave up idolatry, and have found peace in Christ Jesus. I gave up the office of constable, that I and my family might be Christians.”

Brother Han, from the province of Anhui, bore this testimony: “I used to worship idols. I was just as bad as any of you who are out of Christ. I did not believe in God. I want to tell you how God can change a sinner's heart. I used to run a Chinese drug shop. All I had to learn to succeed in my business was how to cheat, deceive, and lie. I gambled, I used opium; I was just as bad as any of you. I wanted to be a big official. But one day the Lord spoke to my soul, and I was convicted of sin. I knew I was dishonest, for I had cheated all who dealt with me. I gave my heart to God, and never tried to collect bills owing me. I knew I had been dishonest and did not deserve what was owing me. In my new experience I had such peace and joy that I had never known before. God helped me to quit my using of opium. I gave up gambling, and have tried to be an honest man. I know God can save a sinner.”

Another man said: “I was a user of opium; I was an idolater; I was a wicked man; but when the Gospel came to me, I stopped these things. They told me the Gospel was a foreign doctrine, and should be shunned; that foreigners bought men with money to be Christians; that if I became a Christian, it was because the foreigner gave me money. Friends, this is all false. We who are Christians, have not been bought with money; but we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a foreign doctrine; this Gospel belongs to the Chinese just as well as to the foreigner.”

One old man past seventy years of age bore this testimony for Christ: “I used to be the wickedest man in all our country. Talk about opium using, gambling, stealing, lying! Why, these were small sins for me. I have lost a thousand strings of cash at one sitting. I would not hesitate to kill a man if he opposed me. I feared no one; but I was feared by all who knew me. I was an oil merchant. I made a science of cheating. I was often warned that God would smite me if I did not stop my sinning, for I was exceedingly wicked. In one of my wild sprees I was stricken dumb. I could not speak a word. All who knew me said the gods had smitten me. Month after month I could not speak a word. One day a missionary came to talk with me. He told me of God and His love and how He could forgive sinners and heal them of their sins. He told me I had been serving the devil, and that it was the God of heaven who had struck me dumb. I thought of this for some time, and finally told the Lord if He would give me back my speech as an evidence of His forgiving my sins, I would be His child. Then I gave myself to God, and He as instantly healed me of my dumbness as He had smitten me in His wrath. My speech returned to me, and I became a standing miracle of what God can do for sinners. For fifteen years I have been trying to serve the Lord with all my heart. I now am an old man, but I know God can save from sin.”

Many such testimonies were borne for Christ; and that heathen crowd, most of whom were standing, listened most attentively to all that was spoken. It was a wonderful meeting. In all my experience I never heard such testimonies borne before. Men had definite things over which they had positive victory. Brother Fang related how his poor old father was an opium fiend and the family had given up all hope that he could ever stop using the drug. He came to a meeting last fall in that same place, and for twenty days did not use opium once, and had never touched it since. As the heathen heard all this, it made a deep impression on their hearts. In silent awe they listened to these living witnesses to the saving power of God.

Fifty Heathen Seeking the Lord

After the time for testimonies had all been filled, and it was getting late, a call was made for any who wanted help from God and who would give the Lord their hearts, to separate from the congregation and come to the front seats. In a few moments more than fifty souls, all of whom were heathen, came forward to seek the Lord. They came in their poverty and sin, and they said they wanted to find God and help to lead a better life.

It is wonderful what transformations in character the Lord can make in the hearts of men. In one short hour God can do for a sinner what prisons and penitentiaries fail to do in a lifetime. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, when received, puts conscience into any sinner's heart; and when the conscience is quickened, there is no pleasure in sin. Christianity can make a heathen sinner honest, clean, and upright. It puts within the hearts of the converted a desire for knowledge, and the Christian converts long to learn to read the Word of God. These converted Chinese make splendid Christians. Thousands of these converts to Christianity have bravely and unflinchingly given their lives a willing sacrifice to God.

The influence of Christianity lifts these people out of the dirt and mire of sin and physical uncleanness, and makes of them new creatures in Christ Jesus. Christianity not only appeals to the heart in behalf of one's self, but it moves the impulses of the very soul in behalf of others. Wherever Christianity is accepted, schools for the education of the people follow; hospitals for the sick are erected; homes for the orphans, and institutions for the unfortunate, are provided; honesty in deal, cleanliness in the home, respect for womanhood,—these all follow as surely as light dispels darkness.

I. H. EVANS

By I. H. Evans

When Christianity is accepted, the entire family arrangement changes. The food is placed on the table; the entire family assemble to eat; grace is said; and love, gentleness, and compassion rule the home. The Gospel is the same everywhere. What it does for others, it can and will do for the Chinese when once it is received into the heart. China now needs every consecrated Christian whom God has called to enter this waiting, needy field.

I. H. EVANS

Matthew Twenty-four Second Coming of Christ

An exposition, verse by verse, of one of the most striking chapters in the New Testament; covering our Lord's great discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the world, and the special signs of His second coming to reward His children.

Matthew Twenty-four Second Coming of Christ

The facts of fulfilment given make this pamphlet worth many times its price. 94 pages, price 10c.

PACIFIC PRESS Mountain View, Cal.

Important Notice

By Editor

To meet the demands of our young people, the St. Helena Sanitarium and Hospital Training School for Missionary Nurses have just decided to start a fall class in nursing beginning Tuesday, October 3, 1911.

Those interested, if they have not already done so, will please send for calendar and application blank immediately so that there may be no delay.

More favorable terms and a stronger course than ever before is now offered.

Address Mrs. S. J. Whitney, Secretary, Sanitarium, Napa County, California.

Land for Sale

On very easy terms, in beautiful Sonoma Valley, in one, two, three, and six-acre tracts. This property adjoins land that has been donated for church and church school buildings, soon to be erected. For further information, address G. Ritz, Sonoma, California.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

By Editor

PUBLISHED WEEKLY

(Entered Sept. 15, 1904, as second-class matter at the Mountain View, Cal., post-office, under Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.)

Editor..........................Milton C. Wilcox Associate Editors................{ A. O. Tait { L. A. Reed

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Fruits of Intolerance

By Editor

We commend to our young men readers "Letters to a Young Man," on page 12. It offers some most excellent suggestions to one who may be in the doubting condition.

We wish that we could tell our readers the many good things we have in store for them, but we can not do it at present. In fact, it is impossible to do it at any time. There are always new, great things springing up which give opportunity for new views of Christianity, new conceptions of God's plans, new gratitude to Him who has thus revealed Himself. But this we hope to do,—to make every paper full of these good things for our readers.

To those who sometimes become hopeless over missions, we commend the article on missions on page 14, "What Christianity Has Done for Some Chinese." One of the great difficulties to-day in home lands as well as foreign lands is that the simple Gospel is not preached. The words of God are hidden under human theories, and human theories have no power. The Word of God is living; and when the living Word of God is received, it is able to change hearts.

We are sorry to record the death of James A. O'Connor, founder and pastor of Christ's Mission in New York City. He was the editor of The Converted Catholic, was born in Ireland in 1846, educated for the priesthood in Baltimore, and in Paris, France. He was ordained a priest in 1871. For eight years he continued a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and then became a Protestant, and in 1879 founded Christ's Mission. It is said that in his thirty years of work he had induced 161 priests to become Protestants, and also thousands of men and women. While he told many facts regarding the Roman Catholic Church, yet the spirit in which they were told was, so far as we have observed, a kindly and Christian spirit. Referring to his death, the Western Watchman calls him a "half-idiot," and concludes its note by saying, "We do not think him responsible, and hope he has found as favorable a judgment in the great bar above."

The pitiable foolishness of practical joking was shown in St. Louis not long ago when a mother pointed a pistol at her three-year-old and only child, called "Hands up," and pulled the trigger. Ten minutes later the little boy was dead. She thought that it was a toy or harmless. She knows better now. It was a poor sort of education to give the boy even if the pistol had been harmless. At its best, practical joking is foolishness. It demands very little brains.

John Warne Gates, the well-known and spectacular American financier, is dead. He died August 9 in the arms of his wife and son. He started, a barefoot boy, at Turner's Junction, now a part of Chicago, making his first money by shucking corn. With this he purchased an interest in a thrashing-machine, making $1,200 the first year. He next entered the barbed wire business, which finally resulted in the ninety million steel wire trust, swallowed later by the United States Steel Corporation. He was a big plunger, or gambler, and hardly a fit example for young men.

Fruits of Intolerance

A despatch from London dated August 3 declares that 20,000 Albanians have fled from their country to face death by starvation in Montenegro. High Albania is now a desolate wilderness. Many have been massacred and burned, it is stated, in their homes. Others are now near death from starvation. More than 20,000 crowd all Montenegro. The object of the Turks seems to be to expel the Catholics from the land. The Albanians declare that death is to be preferred to further Turkish horrors. No grain has been sown, nor can be sown, in the devastated district this year. Certainly conditions in Montenegro and Albania are anything but encouraging, and it all comes because of the intolerance of men who put themselves in the place of God, for this persecution is essentially religious. If men were willing to adopt the principle laid down by our Saviour, the giving to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and rendering to God the things that are God's, persecution would be wiped from the earth. All true civil liberty must grow out of a recognition of this principle. It is well, also, to keep constantly before us the words of the Master Himself, "If any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." Civil governments ought to be founded for one purpose only: to repress incivility; in other words, to keep order, and to see that equal justice was rendered to the weak and the unprotected, and those who might differ from the great mass religiously.

Not Ethics Alone, but Life.

It is not the ethics of Christianity which save. These are admirable; in fact, perfection. No other religion of the world has ethics superior; but man may believe in the ethical teaching of Christianity, and still die. He has no power in himself to meet the standard. This is where God, in His great goodness, meets us. He knows we are weak, knows that we are powerless to put away sin, or overcome it; and therefore He sends to us the very life of God in our Lord Jesus Christ; and as a demonstration of what that life can do we have the example of our Lord while here upon the earth, and His own words of encouragement to every seeking soul: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The world knows only the life of the flesh, the life that is fed on food and water and air and sunshine; the Christian knows the life direct from the heart of God, flowing out from the great Fountain of life and into the being of the Christian, in the channel of God's holy law, to which the heart of the Christian is subject. That is what the world needs to-day; it is not ethics, more ethics; not theories, more theories; not some new-fangled scheme by which Christianity can be remodelled; it needs the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, which He has placed in His Word for every child of faith.

The War Spirit.

The Western Watchman, that virile Roman Catholic paper, tells us some clear truths once in a while. Concerning the war spirit in the world, it has this to say, in its issue of August 3:

We can moralize over this [that is, the condition of things in Europe] as we may. The fact remains that men will kill each other for what they would not pay a month's wages. It is not the value of the Morocco land or bays that is the wage of war; it is the fixed determination that the power that depends on its armed men to make good its pretensions, will have to show the stuff which men are made of. There are millions and millions of people in France, Germany, and England now shouting for war who do not know where Agadir is. The fact is, the world is not ruled by reason, but by brute force, and we have not advanced much from the time and men who made the "middle C" the terror of the world's trade and navigation.

Then after telling us that neither Germany nor France has any right in Morocco, it says: "What a pity the pope is not arbitrator in the present crisis! Strange to say, Germany would be the first to welcome his intervention." "Will the world ever come to fully appreciate the wondrous influence for peace and international amity it possesses in the successor of St. Peter?" But it might be well to consider whether there would have been any such wars at all as have cursed Europe for centuries had it not been for the teachings of the so-called "successors of St. Peter."

A despatch from Berlin, August 4, declares that there have been over one thousand deaths in that city from sunstroke during the ten days of Germany's heat wave, and as many more from heart failure during bathing, and some from gastritis and typhus, caused from lack of water. In the Moselle Valley the fish died, seeming to suffer from a kind of scrofula owing to the overheated water. In the South German States almost all the governments have suspended work in the public departments at least for a few hours in the early morning, as sickness resulting from heat has desolated the staff. Schools will not be reopened until the middle of August, the doctors declaring that only strong children would be able to endure the work in the intense heat. The despatch is headed "Unparalleled." The Scripture tells us there will be a time when the sun will have power to scorch men with heat. It would seem as tho the beginning of it was reached, and yet we know from the Scriptures that this is not the beginning. When the time predicted comes, what we have hitherto had will be faint indeed compared with the fearful heat under the last plagues.

It must be a novel sight to see a swarm of grasshoppers which darkens the sun; but a despatch from Webster City, Iowa, August 4, states that an enormous cloud of them was passing over the city, which darkened everything for miles. They were flying about one hundred feet from the earth, and there was no way of estimating the thickness of the cloud except that it was dense enough to shut out the light. They were an hour and a half in passing over the city, and the stream was miles wide. It is not known whence they came, but there was great fear on the part of the farmers as to where they would light.

According to the president of the National Fire Protection Association, Mr. W. H. Merrill, in fifteen years fire has cost the country 20,000 lives and $2,000,000,000 worth of property. He declared that his association was waging an educational campaign on Christmas decorations, Fourth of July celebrations, defective flues, the incendiary, or fire-bug, the fire danger and children, the cost of carelessness in stoves, and other things which menace the safety of life and property. Certainly it is an awful toll to pay for what is almost invariably the result of carelessness.

This is a poor, unbalanced world. There is poverty-stricken Portugal, for instance, sadly lacking in education; yet it is said she will spend $150,000,000 on war-ships and forts.

Contained in This Issue

By Editor