THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES will present in a special manner during the coming volume what its name indicates, and more. It stands pre-eminently as a watchman on the walls, to observe with vigilant eye the portentous events taking place within the world's horizon, faithfully to portray them, and quickly to warn against impending danger.
While it will thus earnestly call the attention of all to the signs of our times, it will at the same time give as prominent place to the great and important doctrines that are agitating the world more and more as the years go by, all of which, however, constitute remarkable signs in themselves. The Gospel of salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ is one, and its presentation demands practical instruction for the daily living, in view of the vast importance of the near approach of the great day of the Lord. The science of Christianity in its various phases will be our theme. Among other important and timely subjects, the following will find place:—
The Coming of the Lord; Its Nearness; What It Means,
The Millennium,
Church and State, Their Union and Separation,
The Sabbath,
Prophecy and Its Fulfilment,
The Sanctuary and the Judgment,
The Plan of Salvation, or
The Science of Christianity,
Righteousness through Christ,
Eternal Life and Immortality,
Inspiration of the Scriptures,
Signs of the Times,
Practical Living.
The SIGNS embraces the following departments:—
Editorial; General Articles; Outlook, discussing in short paragraphs the more striking events of the day; The Fireside, especially devoted to helpful hints and helps for the home life,—health and temperance; Missions, in which descriptive sketches and practical work find a place; International Sabbath-school and Sunday-school Lessons, giving the text of the Revised Version, with practical helps and thoughts; News and Notes, for the world's happenings, boiled down, carefully sought out, up-to-date; Question Corner, where honest queries will be honestly answered in the light of the Word; Advertisements, few and carefully chosen, reliable, suitable for a religious paper.
Writers.
Contrary to the custom of many journals, we do not believe in exalting man, nor in holding up names as an inducement for would-be readers. So we publish no list of names accounted great by the world. But we do believe in securing the services of men of large experience in the Master's cause, and who are skilled in handling the Word and the pen. Such men have been secured, and we can confidently promise our friends a pleasurable feast of solid things for the ensuing year. We have added to our editorial force, and shall spare no pains nor expense to better the SIGNS continually. The Word of God, and that alone, is our foundation.
Appearance.
Not least, yet not greatest, is the outward appearance. Commendatory words have come to us the past year as we have improved in the make-up of the SIGNS. With the help of improved facilities we expect, beginning with Volume 24, to surpass all former records in this respect. We shall use better paper and better ink, and shall give first-class service in the way of illustrations and general arrangement. Are you with us?
Price.
Notwithstanding added expense, the price will remain as heretofore, at the remarkably low figure of $1.00 per year. Just ponder a moment: an 800-page volume, finely illustrated, comprising a library of Biblical and historical information, for only $1.00! It can not be equaled by any other publication. Note our special offers also in preceding column. Special terms in clubs and to agents. Address,
SIGNS OF THE TIMES,
Oakland, Cal.
TO OUR READERS AND FRIENDS.
By Editor
The Signs for 1898.
"In union there is strength." We wish your co-operation. Please listen to our proposition.
Here are some of the reasons why the "Signs of the Times" will be a better paper in 1898 than it has been in 1897. You will be interested in reading them.
1. It will have an enlarged editorial staff. Elder A. O. Tait, who has had years of experience in the field and in connection with our central publishing house, will be connected with the paper as assistant editor.
In addition to other matters of interest on various subjects, he will furnish a series of most instructive articles on the signs of the times as foretold in prophecy, and fulfilling in our day. These will be illustrated with cuts, new and original, prepared for these articles.
2. We shall publish from Dr. E. J. Waggoner, of London, England, a series of articles on the first chapters of the wonderful book of Hebrews, which so forcibly presents Christ's power, humiliation, oneness with us, and his work for us.
3. A series of articles will be presented on the Revelation, and others will be published on the prophecies of Daniel.
4. We have in hand already articles of striking interest and clearness on the Word of God and its power, the revelation of God in nature, and a large variety of other subjects, developing important Bible truth.
5. We shall have missionary correspondents in various parts of the world who will furnish us with fresh original matter, illustrated by photo-engravings of actual scenes and occurrences. In this we have the hearty cooperation of our Foreign Mission Board, as we are sure we shall have of our missionaries.
6. We shall endeavor to fill our home department with better, fresher, more practical, yet not less interesting, original matter.
7. We shall keep pace with the work for the low and fallen, as it is now carried on by so many noble souls, and will endeavor to make the Signs a faithful coadjutor in this labor of love.
8. We shall endeavor to improve all our various departments in the year to come by the continued aid of those who have so generously helped us in the past.
Thus much for the subject matter which the paper will contain. Last year the Signs came out in a new dress of clean, beautiful type. That type is as good now as then. But in addition to that we shall improve its mechanical appearance in the following respects:—
9. It will be printed on much better paper. In this way we can print better illustrations and print the better illustrations better. We shall be able to use reproductions from photographs.
10. It will be much better illustrated than ever before with original drawings and photographs, prepared and secured especially for the Signs. We have furnished a few of these during the year past; we shall endeavor to make the paper much better in this respect in the year to come.
11. The columns of the paper will be lengthened by about one-half an inch, making more than one-half a page more of reading matter to each number.
All these things will greatly increase the expense of publishing the paper. From a pecuniary point of view it will be the publisher's loss, while to our patrons it will be gain, and much greater gain we earnestly hope to the cause of Christ in winning precious souls to him.
The "Signs of the Times" is not published as a money-making scheme. If it had been, its publishers would not have refused the thousands of dollars which they have refused for space for questionable advertisements, and yet such advertisements as are run in religious papers generally. The paper is published to preach the Gospel and to save souls. This is its sole object. Because of this may we not earnestly plead for the aid and co-operation of our readers and every lover of truth? We are grateful, deeply grateful, for what has been accomplished. We wish here to thank our friends again for their help so freely given.
But we hope for greater success, for a wider circulation, for the privilege of reaching more souls for whom Christ died.
Here is what we propose and hope to do; what will you do to assist us?
Discouragement.—Disappointing facts do not warrant discouraging conclusions. It is not likely that Caleb and Joshua were delightfully exhilarated by the sight of the giants, and the walled cities, any more than the other ten spies were. The giants were actually no bigger, and the walls actually no higher, to the ten than to the two. The facts were the same, but Caleb and Joshua concluded differently. Why?—Because they included differently. The ten faced the situation by themselves; the two faced it with God. The "ten judged God in sight of their difficulties, and said, It can not be done." The two judged the difficulties in the sight of God, and said, "We are well able." If, in the bright lexicon of youth, there is no such word as fail, so in the records of our lives as Christians, who trust in the living God, there never should be written, "And they brought back a discouraging report." Let the odds be against us, and obstacles seem insurmountable, we have but to include the Almighty in faith, and ourselves in fidelity, and let God draw conclusions. "He shall not fail, nor be discouraged," is the divine intention concerning every soul, trustful and true.
Unordered Papers From the Office
By Editor
We send no papers from this office to individuals without pay in advance.
When persons receive copies without ordering them, they are sent by other parties, and we can give no information in regard to them. Persons thus receiving copies of the "Signs" are not indebted to the office, and will not be called upon to pay for them. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends to read.
Prospectus for 1898
By Editor
Read our "Prospectus" for 1898, on page 15.
Notice of the Final Issue
By Editor
We printed last week two Sabbath-school lessons. We print this week two Sunday-school lessons. We do this because there will be no paper issued December 30. As we furnish but fifty numbers in a volume, as stated on our first page, December 23, our next issue, will be the last in the volume.
The Greatest Evil of Cigarettes
THE city chemist of Chicago says, after the examination of samples of cigarets, that the cigaret contains nothing that need be feared by the smoker. But it contains tobacco, and tobacco contains nicotine, and what worse poison does one want? The greatest evil about them is that they contain tobacco.
A Brief Visit from I. H. Evans
By Editor
WE had a brief, very brief, call from Brother I. H. Evans, president of the General Conference Association, December 7. He came in the morning, and left for Texas in the afternoon, just long enough for greeting and farewell. The people on the coast would like to have him come again and stay longer.
The Manager’s Eastern Publishing Work
By Editor
Our Manager, Mr. C. H. Jones, has been for two months in the East, principally in New York, in the interests of the publishing work, having in special regard the illustrating and betterment of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES for 1898. He is expected at this writing (December 8) to be at home the 13th instant. We shall be able to say more concerning this after his arrival.
An Interesting Series of Tracts.
By Editor
There have been inquiries from time to time concerning the articles on hygiene and temperance, by Dr. J. H. Kellogg, M.D., which have been running through the SIGNS. We print the twenty-fifth to-day. We wish to say that the whole twenty-five may be obtained in tract or leaflet form in one package for ten cents. They are a valuable series, and worth many times their price in the useful information they impart. Address this office, or any of our State depositaries.
Counterfeit Truths
Counterfeit Truths.—Men counterfeit that which is valuable. Satan and his minions have counterfeited truth. But he never introduced them as counterfeits, but as "harmless innovations," "politic expedients," which after lapse of time crowded out the true. So the Sunday as a holy day crept into the Christian church. But a counterfeit does not become genuine by lapse of years. Tho a counterfeit twenty-dollar note pass through the hands of a dozen expert bankers and be approved by every one of them, it is counterfeit still. An error may have been held by the theologians and the good of the church for centuries, but it is not less an error. He who knows a bill to be counterfeit and passes it for genuine, is a criminal, disloyal to the government. He who knows a theological dogma or an institution to be error, and still holds or teaches it, is disloyal to God. The white light of God's judgment throne will test all men and things. Let us bear in our hearts and lives such coin as will stand the test.
Long Fast-Day Services
The people of to-day get weary of long services. What would they think of the following described fast-day service of more than 200 years ago: "We went into the church, where, in the first place, a minister made a prayer in the pulpit of full two hours in length, after which an old minister delivered a sermon an hour long, and after that a prayer was made, and some verses sung out of the Psalms. In the afternoon three or four hours were consumed with nothing except prayers, three ministers relieving each other alternately; when one was tired the other went up into the pulpit." Rev. Thomas Clapp, a graduate of Harvard, in the beginning of the eighteenth century, wrote a scheme of prayer containing five divisions with 240 subheads. We need not to say, public prayers should be short.
Christianity Is Activity
By John G. Woolley
Christianity is not a cocoon, but wings. I weigh very little, I can not lift much, but I can carry the pollen of the garden of the Lord from life to life and touch them. What comes of it to them interests me certainly, but is no charge upon me. Christianity is activity. Toward God alone I must be passive; as to all mankind, it is the positive current of my life I ought to emphasize. In God's hands alone I must be clay, but as to every man a potter. So, through the whole circuit of my life, I am to be a giver. What I get will be the gift of God.—J. G. Woolley.
Man Can Not Reverse It.
When Balaam had tried to curse Israel and failed, he had the candor to say, "He hath blessed; and I can not reverse it." Now God has "blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it," making it his holy Sabbath. Man may try to evade it, to curse it, and trample upon it. But God has blessed, and no man can reverse it. The blessing is still there every week. That is why God says, "Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it." Isa. 56: 2.—Present Truth.