p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 8. (2/25/1897)

The Bible and Its Story

By Josephine Pollard

This volume has been published to assist parents, guardians, and teachers in the religious instruction of those under their charge, by enabling them to place in their hands a book which would reverently tell the Bible story. The one object that has been kept steadily in view throughout its preparation, has been to present a connected narrative of the sacred events, consecutively arranged in the order of their occurrence. The book contains 558 pages, with 280 illustrations. PRICE, Cloth, $1.00.

Address,

Pacific Press Publishing Co.

39 Bond St. New York City

Oakland, Cal.

18 W. 5th St. Kansas City, Mo.

SURE WORD OF PROPHECY. A study of the book of Daniel.

A concise study of this important prophetic portion of the Bible. Fully illustrated. Paper covers. 96 pages. Bible Students' Library No. 131. Price, 10 cents.

Address,

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Kansas City, Mo. New York City, N. Y.

A Witness for Christ

It is said of Frances Ridley Havergal, the poetess, that shortly after she joined the church she was sent to a boarding-school. There she soon learned that of all the one hundred girls she was the only church member. Her first feeling was of dread; she could not confess Christ in that company of gay, worldly girls. But her second thought was that she could not do otherwise than confess him. She was the only representative he had there. This thought gave her courage; had she not, in his providence, been placed there for the very purpose of confessing the name of Christ? If she failed him, he would have no witness in the company of all those precious young souls. The same principle is true in the case of every one of us. We are in the world, in our special community, to witness for Christ. If I am the only one, so much the greater need of faithful testimony in word and deed. “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14. “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38.

Christianity Always for Peace.

The contest between Greece and Turkey over the island of Crete is a continuance of the old religious feud between the two countries. It is Mohammedanism on one side and Greek Church on the other. There is extant the common error that it is Turk against Christian, but the Scriptures teach that Christianity does not war with carnal weapons, whatever any class of people may do in its name. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Cor. 10:4), is the plain declaration of the Spirit of God. Christianity has been held responsible for much crime which was wholly due to fanaticism or mistaken zeal of people professing its name. For instance, it is said that the Crimean war originated in a quarrel over the custody of some rusty keys of “holy places” in Jerusalem, between Papists and Greeks. The contention was taken up by their respective protectors, France and Russia, and it required the united forces of France, England, and Italy (“Christian nations”), and the shedding of torrents of blood, to prevent Turkey from being dismembered. Whatever demands may be made in the name of Christianity, involving physical strife of any kind, true Christianity is always peaceable. “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality [margin, “wrangling”], and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:17, 18.

Peace and Holiness

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Claremont Sanitarium Souvenir

We acknowledge receipt of a handsome souvenir of the Claremont Medical and Surgical Sanitarium, near Cape Town, South Africa. This institution was erected by the Seventh-day Adventist Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association, and is the only institution of its kind in South Africa. The souvenir contains twenty-four pages (7x10 inches) and cover. There are twelve full-page views of the sanitarium and places of interest in the vicinity. One page shows a patch of beautiful calla lilies, which are denominated “South African weeds.” R. S. Anthony, M.D., formerly of California, is physician in charge of the new institution.

Relief for Destitute Armenians

Miss Clara Barton, the head of the Red Cross Society, says that according to careful estimates, not far from 155,000 Armenians, men, women, and children, are destitute of shelter, raiment, fire, food, and medicines. They have no means of securing any of these things excepting what comes through charity. Without such help, many thousands of them will die before the winter closes. It is not at all probable that relief can reach all of them. There is a great cry of hard times in our own country, but in many parts of the world our condition would be hailed as prosperity. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Ps. 103:2.

Sunday Closing Defeated.

By Editor

On the evening of the 17th inst. the city council of this city reversed its former action with reference to submitting to a vote of the people the proposition to close the saloons on Sunday. A resolution to so submit the question was adopted some weeks ago, and afterward, on petition of voters, another resolution was adopted submitting the proposition to close the saloons all the time. On the evening above mentioned, however, when the election resolution as a whole was up for adoption a motion to strike out the Sunday-closing clause was carried. An effort to strike out the prohibition clause was lost. Thus the council has taken a consistent stand. The question of prohibition is a civil matter, solely an economic question; the saloon is a recognized evil from a social and economic standpoint, and therefore it is a legitimate subject of legislation. The people have a right to ask for legislation on this subject. But Sunday closing is a religious question, nothing but a religious question. It is not asked because of the evil of the liquor traffic, but because of the supposed religious character of the day. This was proved at the council meeting, when a Sunday-closing champion urged that measure as against abolishing the saloon altogether. No Sunday-closing advocate ever asks for such legislation on any other one day. The same people are just as solicitous for closing all other places of business on Sunday when they think it possible. Being solely a religious question, Sunday closing is not a legitimate subject of legislation, especially in a government claiming antagonism to Church and State union. The people, however large the majority, have no right to enforce Sabbath observance, or any other religious service, upon a single individual. For all religious duty men are responsible to God and not to the people. A majority of the city council of Oakland have come out on the right side of this much-discussed question, notwithstanding the great pressure that has been brought to bear upon them by the opponents of religious liberty during their two years' term of office. They have held to the principle that it is their province to attend to the civil business of the people, and not to meddle with their religious affairs. That is true republicanism. May their successors also be men who will maintain the rights of the people.

The National Conscience

The National Reformers have a great deal to say about the “national conscience,” but it has remained for President C. A. Blanchard to define the thing. He says, “The national conscience is simply the aggregation of individual conscience.” When we consider the great variety of individual consciences in the country, an “aggregation” of them all, were such a thing possible, would be a very uncertain element. Yet it is expected that this imaginary national conscience will do wonders in the way of “reform” as soon as the National Reform combination can succeed in bringing it to bear upon national religious legislation. The idea of this conglomerate conscience does not harmonize with the Scripture. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 2 Cor. 6:14, 15. If every individual conscience is to become an inseparable part of this concrete national conscience, what becomes of the freedom of conscience?

About Riches.—

The Word of God gives very plain warnings to people whose aim is to accumulate wealth in this world. One would naturally suppose that professed believers in this Word, if no others, would heed its injunctions. If these do not exemplify its teachings, how can it be expected that others will? The Saviour says:—

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matt. 6:19-21.

It is clear from this that the Lord does not give this advice because he needs our treasure for himself. He advises us for our own benefit. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,” is his counsel. Why?—Because in that way it will not be lost to us; it is safe from any of the vicissitudes that arise in this uncertain world. It is not our means that the Lord wants, but our hearts. “Son, give me thine heart.” If he has gained the heart, he has saved the soul. “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” So he seeks to be the depository of our treasures that he may gain possession of our hearts, in order to secure the salvation of our souls. This thought is further emphasized by the apostle Paul:—

“Having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich [not merely they that are rich, but they that desire to be rich] fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred [margin, “been seduced”] from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 1 Tim. 6:8-11.

Thus we are told that the dangers in the way of laying up treasures in this world are so great that the man of God should flee from them. Then the apostle adds a special injunction to them who are already rich:—

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” Verses 17-19.