—A new "messiah" has arisen in Iowa, who makes great promises of magnificent mansions for his followers.
—Rev. Thomas Spurgeon has been elected pastor of the great London Tabernacle, made famous by the labors of his illustrious father.
—It seems to be all right to sell flowers on Easter Sunday morning, judging from the eagerness with which church people bought them from street vendors on that occasion in San Francisco.
—An Espanola, N. M., dispatch says: "The penitents at Taos have scourged themselves during Lent this year more actively than usual, and many parties have gone out from here to witness these strange exhibitions of self-punishment."
—It is said that the Christian Endeavorers of Colorado have been urged to see that every voter in their society and church is registered, as a means to good citizenship. This is another step in the establishment of a political religion.
—A press dispatch says that the Salvation Army of Kansas City is bankrupt, and in consequence the captain and lieutenant have drawn but $11.50 as combined salary for February, and the prospect for March is no better. But there is no intimation of their giving up the work.
—A London dispatch says that an appeal has been issued for a fund of $250,000 with which to celebrate the jubilee of the Salvation Army. In this connection it is proposed to inaugurate a four months' campaign in the United States, to hold an international congress, and to send expeditions to Japan, Java, and Demerara.
—Twenty-five Chinamen have declared a boycott against the First Methodist Episcopal Sunday school in New Haven, Conn. The reason given is that their opium and gambling dens were recently raided by the police and a number of the operators arrested. The wife of a police sergeant is a teacher in the school, hence the boycott.
—A sensation has been created in the First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, over the fact that the assistant pastor became engaged to the choir soprano, who is a Catholic lady. Hostility to the match ran so high that the assistant pastor resigned his place and has gone to Honolulu to seek a pastorate. The young lady still sings in the choir, although she avers that the engagement is still on.
—In tracing up the history of Schweinfurth, who has been figuring for some time as a "messiah," with headquarters at Rockford, Ill., Dr. Landon Carter Gray, of the New York Polyclinic, makes some revelations. Schweinfurth was once a Methodist minister; he once attempted to pass himself off as the long-lost Charlie Ross, and Dr. Gray once examined him as to his sanity, and had him placed in an insane asylum, from which he escaped and has but recently been identified.
—The pope has issued a new encyclical letter, addressed to the bishops of Poland, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. They are enjoined "not to teach anything against the power of princes or the utility of nations, but to provide for the prosperity of all." The letter recalls an agreement with Russia by which the position of the clergy was immensely improved, the agreement being obtained through requests directly addressed to the czar. The Poles in Russia are urged to "trust to the equality of their emperor, and to observe the laws."
—A correspondent of the New York Observer, writing from Southern Idaho, where Mormonism is prevalent, gives Mormon authority for the statement that the practice of polygamy is only suspended in Utah until a State government can be secured. He adds that the leaders retain their hold on the young by church amusements of all kinds, including dancing. Their churches are open to everything but the gospel of Christ. Their religion requires no conviction of sin, no self-denial; only be baptized and become a saint. The superstition is so dense that it "may be felt" over four counties in Southern Idaho, the despotic power of the priesthood being unbroken.
—To offset the fact that the professed Protestantism of the world is fast going over to Rome, several religious journals are emphasizing the assertion of Bishop Perry, of the Episcopal Church, that in the past eighteen years, within his diocese, 700 adult Roman Catholics have joined the Episcopal communion. The error of this argument lies in supposing that those 700 got away from Rome by becoming Episcopalians, when church after church, both in England and in America, are dropping into line in the adoption of Roman methods. The same is true of other denominations, as is conspicuously illustrated in their growing recognition and celebration of Rome's church festivals, and in their imitation of her ambition to obtain political prestige in order to enforce their dogmas by civil law.
The Old World
By Editor
SINNER, do you wish deliverance from sin? Read the article "Look and Live," in another column. "There is life in a look" at the Lamb of God. "Behold the Lamb of God."
ELDER BALLENGER informs us that all the Protestant and Catholic works quoted in the article "Protestantism, True and False" can be secured at a discount for our ministers and others who desire them, by addressing the Religious Liberty Association, room 7, 185 Dearborn St., Chicago, Ill.
READ the article entitled "Union of Church and State," in another column, and behold the history of the fourth century repeating itself now. In the "Two Republics" this is so fully set forth that he who desires to know may know. The book ought to be read by every judge, lawyer, teacher, and minister in our land, as well as many others.
The Old World.—A few months ago everyone was predicting that we were likely very soon to have a general European war. The alliance between France and Russia seemed to forebode this. It was accepted generally as a challenge to the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria, and Italy, leaving it very uncertain as to whether England would remain neutral or join the Triple Alliance. But recently the olive branch of peace is quivering less in the martial breeze. Germany and Russia have formed a commercial treaty. This would seem to indicate peace for a time. It has been considered necessary on the part of the British Government to maintain a naval force sufficient to cope with all the outside powers of Europe; but lately England's naval power has not greatly increased, while that of the other powers has been so much increased that it is questionable whether England has the force sufficient to cope with any two of the great powers. Die Grenzboten, an Austrian paper, seriously questions whether England's power is not waning. The writer says that England will hold her own as long as she is able to convince others of her strength, but this ability appears very doubtful of late; that her fleet is by no means as imposing as it formerly was; that her ships at the best are undermanned, and the men are often of a very low standard; and concludes that England's navy has not kept pace in proportion with the advance of navies in other countries. Her army gives still less cause for satisfaction. It is, as the writer says, mostly on paper, badly led, badly disciplined, and composed of the very worst materials, and in case England should engage in war with the Dual Alliance, she has been so selfish in the past that the Triple Alliance would not come to her support or interfere in her behalf. In India the writer believes that England has but little power, and that no country that ever trusted to mercenaries escaped ruin, so that England's great difficulty would be, in case of such a war as that, that she would not be ready. "That an army must be prepared in time of peace," says the writer, "is a lesson which England has still to learn."
This is but another side of the great European problem, another phase of the international game of chess. An article in another column, "Jottings from Europe," written by one who has exceptional opportunities of observation, and is qualified to improve them, shows how the Sunday question, and questions of Church and State, are coming to the front in the Old World. But in all this turmoil the Christian and student of prophecy may be assured there may be wars and rumors of wars, but God in his mercy holds the winds of strife until his work is done. He is still holding the winds, and, praise be to his name, his last message of mercy is fast going to the world.
THE "SIGNS" OF MARCH 5.
By Editor
HAVE you read this number? If not, you ought to read it, and not only read it yourself, but bring it before as many others as you are able. For a weekly paper its date may seem to be old, but the important matter which it contains is not old, and will not grow old for months to come. The SIGNS of March 5 is No. 18; it contains the following important articles:—
1. A series of paragraphs showing the means and power by which God designed that his gospel should be sent forth to the world, their effect in the early church, and their perversion by the apostate church.
2. "The Real Question." An article showing the real decision which Protestants are now making, as shown in the Sabbath question, that it is not a matter of days, but a matter of principle. It is as to whether Protestants will stand by the Scriptures, which, according to their creeds, they hold to be the only rule of faith and practice, or whether they will turn to the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. The creeds of the great Protestant churches in respect to the Scripture and the holy law of God are given.
3. "The Character and Aims of the Papacy," by Mrs. E. G. White, showing how Romanism is now regarded, what its character is, and what it is now doing.
4. "Protestantism True and False," by Elder A. F. Ballenger. This article considers the Protestantism of the Reformation, the principles of Christianity, the decline of Protestantism, the Protestantism of to-day as set forth by the testimonies of the great Protestant churches themselves, and the duty of the Christian in view of these things. It is a telling testimony in these days of evil. (Revised.)
5. "Province of Civil Government," by Elder W. A. Colcord, showing the province of civil government, and the limit of its authority, as indicated by the nature of the government itself and the word of God.
6. "What is Protestantism?" By Elder A. T. Jones. This is a brief consideration of just what the principles of Protestantism are, set forth so clearly that it seems as though the most careless reader would understand it.
7. Besides the above articles it contains a poem by James Russell Lowell, on "Present Crisis," most applicable to this time; "A Review of Sunday Legislation in Century Nineteen," which considers the principles on which Rome is founded; an article in our Mission Fields department on the way Protestantism is condoning heathenism in foreign lands; and another interesting article on the Church of Abyssinia.
There are several reasons why this paper should be widely circulated: First, it contains matter in small compass which sets before the reader the present condition of Protestantism on some of the great moral questions of the day, according to the testimony of Protestants themselves. It will be a long time before the same amount of matter of this character can be found in as convenient a form. Secondly, the circulation should be pushed forward on account of the date of the paper. While the matter in the paper will not be old for some time to come, yet sometimes dates are prejudicial to some readers. But in the circulation of the paper let it be stated that the matter itself is not of that character that grows old. Third, the cheapness by which truth can be circulated in this form. The same matter, if published in pamphlet form, would sell for from 10 to 15 cents, but this number of the SIGNS is offered for one and one-half cents, or at the rate of $1.50 per hundred. This is furnishing it at cost, and we certainly hope that our brethren and sisters will avail themselves of the splendid offer that is made by the publishers.
There ought to be 100,000 of these circulated. Order as soon as possible. Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Twelfth and Castro Streets, Oakland, Cal.
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Roman Catholicism and Spiritualism.
By Editor
The Catholic Telegraph has the following:—
"Spiritualism is becoming a religion, so that men and women who ought to be Christians are abandoning the teachings of Christ to accept the teaching of devils masquerading as spirits of the dead. In Baltimore, a few nights ago, Mrs. Rachael Wolcott was 'ordained' pastor of the First Spiritualistic Church of Baltimore, and, after being installed, went into an 'inspirational trance.' It is pitiful to see persons so misled by the demon."
All this is true, but Roman Catholics ought to be the last to find fault. What is "adoration of saints," or "intercession of saints," but demon worship? "The dead know not anything." Those who sacrificed to the dead anciently, sacrificed to demons, not to God. See Ps. 106: 28, 36, 37; 1 Cor. 10: 20. The first falsehood of Satan, "Ye shall not surely die," is the basic ground of all idolatry, of adoration of saints, worship of the Virgin Mary, and of modern Spiritualism. They are all branches of the one great tree. The saints are not responsible; they sleep in Jesus, and by the power of his life will come forth to endless immortality. The theory of the immortality of the soul held by so many robs Christ of his glory, and furnishes a basis for the deceptions of the enemy.