p. 624 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 39. (8/7/1893)

SECULAR.

—Vice President Stevenson visited Victoria, B. C., last week, and received a hearty welcome.

—A great Miners' Federation strike was inaugurated in England July 28. About 350,000 men are directly affected.

—A Paris dispatch announces that a panic prevails at Senegal, West Africa, where deaths from cholera average fifty per day.

—On the 15th inst. a meeting in the interest of silver coinage, which was being held in the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, was broken up by a mob.

—A sudden flooding of the Arkansas River at Pueblo, Colo., last week, caused a loss of property aggregating $250,000, and seven persons were drowned.

—The statement is given out that the great Standard Oil Company monopoly has bought out the Rocky Mountain Oil Company for a consideration of $1,000,000.

—There was an exciting run on the banks of Helena, Mont., last week. Two failed, one after paying out $1,000,000 and the other after paying nearly $500,000.

—At Canton, China, June 24, a government powder magazine exploded with terrible results. Several persons were killed, over 300 injured, and about 400 houses were destroyed.

—In consequence of the increased employment of Turkish women as schoolmistresses in the girls' schools, the Porte has decreed the formation of a normal school for girls in Constantinople.

—Advices from Dutch Guiana bring information of the existence of widespread insubordination among coolie contract laborers. On several estates overseers have already been killed in cold blood.

—The World's Fair was again opened last Sunday, in obedience to an injunction of the State preventing the closing of the gates on that day. Thus the Fair has become a kind of shuttle-cock between the courts.

—The distillers in the vicinity of Cincinnati are appealing to the government to extend for three months the revenue due on whisky in bond. The amount due on whisky in bond in that city is said to be $8,000,000.

—The shipment of unemployed men from Denver, Colo., to Kansas City, Mo., is resented by the authorities of the latter city, who declare that they will not be allowed to disembark. The men are shipped free, in box cars.

—The French Academy, after a long discussion, has assented to the scheme for a reform in spelling. The principal new rules are for the suppression of the hyphen in compound words and making the uniform plurals with the letter s.

—The last China steamer brings news of the wrecking of the Russian war ship Vitiaz on the Corean coast by a cyclone. The crew of 390 men were all saved, and there was hope of recovering the guns. The vessel was one of the best in the Russian service.

—Thousands of able-bodied men are being fed by charity at Denver, Colo.; many of them, well dressed and with tears, asserted that it was the first time in their lives that they had been obliged to accept charitable aid. The crowds of idle men in the city was Satan's opportunity to find something to do; so they broke into the jail, took out an Italian prisoner accused of murder, hung and shot him, and then dragged the dead body through the streets.

—The telegraph says that on the 30th inst. two new revolutions broke out in Argentine Republic. However, they are provincial in character, and not directed against the Federal Government.

—It is said there are now twenty-one law firms in the United States composed of husbands and wives, and there are about two hundred American women who practice law in the courts or manage legal publications.

—A disastrous forest fire is said to be carrying destruction through the cranberry bogs and farms of New Jersey, in the vicinity of Egg Harbor. The villages of Washington and Martha's Vineyard are reported to have been destroyed, and others seriously threatened.

—A dispatch of the 27th inst. from Rich Hill, Mo., says: "A general strike of all the miners in this district was inaugurated to-day. The men want the privilege of organizing themselves into unions, an increase of wages, and to aid their Kansas brethren. From 1,800 to 2,000 men are out."

—A late dispatch from Chattanooga, Tenn., says: "A plague of grasshoppers is sweeping down on the farms in the Tennessee valley, on the north side of the river. The grasshoppers, which are small and green, have covered the corn and clover fields by the millions, and crops have been stripped."

—Mail advices from Venezuela announce that a revolution has been started among the semi-civilized Indians in the territory of Alta Orinoco, where the Italian Governor, Señor Anesele, appointed by General Chispa, has enslaved the Indians and forced them to work in the rubber forests for his private gain.

—The Marine Hospital at Washington has advices from its representative at Genoa, Italy, that cholera prevails in the provinces of Coni and Alessandria. And it is reported by way of London that although the newspapers of Rome and Naples are silent on the subject, it is well known that cholera exists in several places. Pilgrimages are prohibited and troops enforce the prohibition.

—Poor little Siam has been obliged to yield to France, and give up the desired territory. She depended for assistance upon England, but the latter failed at the critical moment to render the expected help. So the prospect for war, which seemed so imminent for a few days last week, is over and another weak government has been humiliated by a strong one—which is the way of the world.

—The emperor of Germany, who by the way is Queen Victoria's grandson, is reported to have recently expressed the opinion that England is not strong enough to assert herself against any European power or against the United States, and that if ever she is brought into conflict with any of these nations the belief in her formidable strength and her reputation as queen of the seas will burst like a soap bubble.

—Crime is on the increase, and the insane attempts to lessen its effects by the administration of mob law, in various parts of the country, only add intensity to its fearful ravages. In many instances the demoniacal spirit is, if possible, more manifest in the punishment than in the original crime,—to say nothing of the terrible fact that innocent parties are sometimes the victims of a mad rush for imaginary justice.

—In the House of Commons, the real representative body of "Christian England," there was a general hand-to-hand fight between factions on the night of the 27th inst., caused by a ruling of a committee chairman closing the debate on certain sections of the Irish Home Rule Bill. When order had been restored the remaining clauses of the bill were reported to the House and passed. It will now go to the House of Lords, where its defeat is confidently predicted.

—Terrible accounts of the distress prevailing in Shansi, China, because of the famine have been brought to Ningpo by a man who arrived there July 10. He had two girls, aged respectively 16 and 17 years, whom he said he had bought at Chang Ka-Kao, Shansi, for ten strings of copper cash each. The people of the distressed province are dying in thousands. The flesh of the arms and thighs of the poor wretches who sink down with exhaustion are frequently cut off by those who have still the strength to do so, and eaten.

—A recent attempt of Hawaiian officers to remove a settlement of lepers from Kalalau Valley, on Kauai Island, to the regular leper colony resulted disastrously. First a deputy sheriff with some assistants attempted to effect the removal. The lepers resisted and the deputy sheriff was killed. Then a company of soldiers went to the scene of the trouble, and while most of the lepers surrendered, Koolau, who had killed the officer, took refuge in the mountains with his wife and child, and refused to surrender. An attempt to dislodge him resulted in the death of three soldiers. At last accounts the desperado was still at large, and the affair has caused great excitement throughout the country, and is said to be adding fuel to the political animosities and race prejudices already prevalent.

"A MORAL VICTORY."

SAYS the Advance over the recent decision of the World's Fair Directory to close on Sunday:—

Thanks be to God! A great moral victory for the nation and for the world! Not in our way, but in his own way, did it come to pass. Nothing could be more appropriate than that special thanksgiving service over the result be held in every Christian church in the land. The Sabbath rest day, as never before on so large a scale and in a manner so conspicuous to all the world, has been vindicated. The influence of it will be far reaching and world-wide. Our World's Columbian Exposition has at length made one exhibit of supreme significance.

Where is the "moral" of it? The "Christians" of the country, by a most unchristian method, the boycott, and by closing their exhibits on Sunday, so that much could not be seen, so reduced the gate receipts that it did not pay to keep it open, and the directors closed, and this is the "moral victory"! And is it God's way? Were the advised boycotts, the falsifying of petitions, the prayers and predictions of plague and pestilence, thus working on the fears of the superstitious, the appeal to arms, and the use of force so far as it could be employed, by the Sunday-law people, together with the high rates of railways and the full admission price for a half show, till the attendance did not pay expenses—was this the "moral victory"? Is this "His way"? "The Sabbath rest day" of God is not connected with the matter, only as it is lost sight of by the elevation of "the venerable day of the sun," a usurper in the church. It is apparently drowned in the clamor, even as was the gospel when the heathen of Ephesus shouted for two hours, without knowing why or wherefore, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians." Yes, the influence will be far reaching. It is the biggest boom that the Sunday ever had since the days of the heathen emperor Constantine. And this is in harmony with the prophecy which declares that all that dwell on the earth shall worship the beast and receive of his mark whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. See Revelation 13. The "exhibit of supreme importance" is America, the once "land of the free," at the feet of a religious hierarchy. The "thanksgiving day" over such an event should be a day of fasting and prayer by all true patriots. A "moral victory," forsooth!

OUR MESSAGE AND WORK.

By Editor

WE very frequently receive long communications from different persons in various parts of the country asking us to print articles of varied merit and theory against the seventh-day Sabbath, and generally in favor of Sunday. Sometimes, if it seems best to us for our readers, we print the entire communication, as we did that of Mr. Walker's, in No. 31 of this present volume; sometimes we print extracts; sometimes we reply by mail; and sometimes we pay no attention to the matter. In thus doing we aim to deal fairly and courteously with all. Yet because a more or less extended argument is not printed correspondents often complain that we do not treat them fairly because we have not printed their entire communication; that we are not willing that our readers should have both sides of the Sabbath question, etc., etc. Now the facts of the matter are simply these:—

1. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables" in making known to the world the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day. It is supported by the positive testimony of Scripture, in terms so clear and express that thousands have been constrained to break all former associations, dear as the apple of the eye, and turn to the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord.

2. We are few in number compared with the rest of Christendom, and our publications are altogether too few to proclaim the truth. We have not space or time to publish what we are assured from God's word is error. And even though we could afford the space, it would not be right to use the Lord's funds for that purpose.

3. The "other side" of the Sabbath question to us is the side of error. Surely our readers have heard and do hear that side continually. The thousands of pulpits in our land, the hundreds of religious periodicals, are nearly all enlisted against the seventh-day Sabbath and are endeavoring to convince in every known way that Sunday is the Sabbath of the Lord, from the golden silence of some all the way through the maze of mutually contradictory and destructive arguments to the bigot's appeal to law, the arrest, the fine, the jail, and the chain-gang. Certainly our readers have every opportunity to know "the other side." In fact thousands of those who now observe the seventh-day Sabbath have desired with all their hearts to have proved to them that Sunday was the Sabbath, and failed to find the proof. What to some may be considered new and wonderful "evidence" in behalf of Sunday and against the Sabbath is, in nearly all cases, hundreds of years old, and is evidence that invariably recoils upon the Sunday, while the rock of truth is not affected thereby. We are giving to the world the message of the Living God, the everlasting gospel.

We are not uncertain; God does not wish his servants to be. We do not say we know all the truth, for to know all the truth would be to know all of God; but we know that the word of truth authorizes, supports, and defends the Sabbath of the Lord, the memorial of creation and sign of redemption, the threefold pledge of God's wisdom, power, and love. And to that, to the blessings connected therewith, we invite all. "Come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel."

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.]

101. LUKE 23:43.

Will you please explain Luke 23:43, what our Saviour meant when he said to the thief on the cross, "Verily I say unto thee to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise"? M. F. B.

See the article in another column entitled "The Importance of Christ's Second Coming." Our correspondent says that she does not believe that the thief is with Christ now, for the dead in Christ will Christ raise when he comes. Certain it is that Jesus did not go to Paradise on that day; for (1) Paradise is where the tree of life is (Rev. 2:7), and the tree of life is "fast by the throne of God" (Rev. 22:1, 2); and (2) Jesus said the third day after his crucifixion, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father" (John 20:17). He therefore did not go to Paradise on the day of his crucifixion. For the meaning of the thief's prayer, and the promise of the Saviour, see the last part of the article referred to above.

102. THE TURK.

Do you understand that the Turk must have Constantinople before the seven last plagues are poured out? Please harmonize Dan. 11:45 with Rev. 16:12. R. D. C.

The Turk has Constantinople now. Just how long he will keep it before Russia, or England, or some other power, seizes it we do not know. Dan. 11:45 and Rev. 16:12 are in perfect harmony already, tuned by the same divine spirit. We cannot undertake to harmonize the various conflicting views concerning them.

103. NAHUM'S CHARIOTS.

Does Nahum 2:3-6 refer to the cars and railroads? Does it not apply to the destruction of Nineveh? R. D. C.

Many persons think that the prophecy applies to railroad cars and railways, but we see nothing in the prophecy which may not all be applied to the destruction of Nineveh. We certainly know that some of the particulars of the prophecy are rather incongruous and forced when applied to railways and railroad cars in the Old World.

IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS.

By N. C. McClure

BY ELDER N. C. McCLURE.

Northern California Camp Meeting.

The Northern California camp meeting will be held at Eureka, Humboldt Co., commencing Thursday night, August 17, lasting till the 27th inclusive. All who wish tents who have not already ordered will please do so at once through the elders of the churches. It is expected that Elders M. C. and F. M. Wilcox, J. H. Morrison, and the writer, also Dr. Sanderson, from the Health Retreat, will be in attendance. It is earnestly desired that all our friends throughout that part of the Conference will be present.

Dedication Services.

The dedication of the new church at Pasadena will take place Sunday, September 17.

Southern California Camp Meeting.

This important meeting will be held at Santa Ana, Orange Co., September 21 to October 1. It is expected that the attendance will be large, and it is desired that ample accommodations be made in season, so all who desire tents will please send in their orders at once, through the elders of the church to which you belong, or address Elder N. C. McClure, 1591 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, as we do not want to ship tents unless they are ordered.

Priestcraft and Christian Freedom

It is an interesting fact that of all the names given to officers or to presbyters in the early church, the New Testament never calls them priests. The name priests is applied to the members of the church, but not to its officers. See 1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6. Canon Farrar says truly: "The claim of priestcraft robs Christians of the most estimable privileges of freedom, which Christ purchased for them with his own blood. It is bringing back [in the English Church] the deadliest virus of Romish error, and thrusting a class and a caste between the soul and its free, unimpeded access to God."

Sunday Law and Christian Consistency

If Sunday is a "Christian" institution and should therefore be enforced by law in this "Christian" land, why not enforce every other Christian institution, such as baptism and the Lord's Supper? Would not consistency demand just such a course?

Sunday Law and Religious Coercion

If the great majority of the people of the United States have such a regard for Sunday, why not give them the privilege of showing their regard without a Sunday law? Why compel them to do what they desire to do?

Field Notes

By Editor

READ the constantly increasing items of interest in our "Field Notes." The work is onward; the message is the Lord's; its ultimate triumph lies just before.

CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Editorial.—Notes and Comments.—Judicial Blindness—Our Question Corner (Nos. 101, 102, 103)—Our Message and Work—"A Moral Victory"............609, 610, 612

Doctrinal.—Without God in the World (poetry)—The Importance of Christ's Coming—A Solemn Question—The Operations of the Spirit—The Millennial Reign, No. 4—Was There a Necessity for a Change of the Sabbath?—The Moral Basis of the Sabbath..................................................611-613

Miscellaneous.—Not as I Will (poetry)—Ye Did It unto Me—"Unto Them Also That Love His Appearing"—Clerical Infidelity—Our Country, Yes, We Hear Thee (poetry)—"Jack-in-the-Box"—"Fulfill"—Constancy—Vain Worship—The Sunday Basis.....614-617

Home and Health.—Beautiful (poetry)—Hints on Teaching Obedience—Leaves from a Doctor's Journal—About Temper—A Happy Home—Singing As an Aid to Health—Care of the Eyes—Fiction and Fast—A City in the Clouds—Western Pluck............617-619

Mission Fields.—Building (poetry)—Country and People of Ecuador—Outrage on Missionaries in China....................................................619, 620

Our Work and Workers.—Sacrifice (poetry)—Imitate Christ—Field Notes....................................................................................620, 621

International S. S. Lessons.—Paul before Felix (Lesson 8, Sunday, August 20)—Suffering for Righteousness' Sake, 1 Peter 3:12-22 (Lesson 8, Sabbath, August 19)........................................................................................622, 623

News and Notes.—Religious—Secular.................................................623