p. 16 (256) | Signs of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 16. (4/16/1896)

Earlier text: Flower Festivals Fiestas Rose Carnivals

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THE LORD'S DAY

By Milton C. Wilcox

THE TEST OF THE AGES.

By MILTON C. WILCOX.

A new publication on the all-important Sabbath question. It treats the subject in the light of the Dispensations. In fact, it is, in a nutshell.

THE SABBATH FROM EDEN TO EDEN.

It presents, in a brief, simple way, the important portion of the Bible evidence on both sides of the Sabbath question.

New and Original Illustrations and Diagrams

The book contains 12 chapters, 128 pages, and is issued as No. 124 of the Bible Students' Library.

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TEACHING TRUTH

By Mary Wood Allen

By Mary Wood Allen, M. D.

National Lecturer W. C. T. U.

A little brochure brimful of helpful suggestions to parents who wish to teach their children the truth in regard to the mystery of life.

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Nature-Worship and Sun-Worship in Idolatry

Nature-worship.—Nature-worship, of which sun-worship is the chief, permeated all forms of idolatry in all countries. For instance, a mummy found in a cave of the old-time Cliff-dwellers is now preserved in the Peabody Museum, at Cambridge, Mass. The account, which we clip from an exchange, says:—

“It is a baby so perfectly desiccated as to be almost lifelike. Even the eyes are intact. The child is fastened to a board cradle, and on its breast is laid an ear of corn. This last point is particularly interesting. Among the Moqui Indians of to-day, who are descendants of the Cliff-dwellers, every infant is dedicated to the rising sun when it is twenty days old, an ear of corn being used in the ceremony as a symbol of life.”

Papers Not Sent Without Advance Payment

By Editor

Sir—We send no papers from this office to individuals without pay in advance.

Payment for Signs Subscriptions and Unsolicited Copies

By Editor

but 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 for pay. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends to read.

CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.

Editorial.

“Consider the Lilies” (Notes) … 1, 2

Two Ideas of “Faith” … 2

Union with Christ (Rom. 7: 1-7), E. J. W. … 3, 4

Wonderful Faith … 4, 5

Question Corner.—No. 303, In the Heart of the Earth—No. 304, Petros and Petra—No. 305, The Day the Lord Hath Made—No. 306, Picking Hops—No. 307, Smoking Tobacco—No. 308, Christmas—No. 309, Ascending to Heaven—No. 310, Longing for Flesh-pots—No. 311, Image of the Beast—No. 312, The Apocrypha—No. 313, Can Not Sin … 5, 6

Poetry.

Strength, LLEWELLYN A. MORRISON … 6

The Beautiful Rest, LILLA WARREN … 9

Cast Thy Bread upon the Water, PAULINA M. ALWAY-ANDERSON … 11

General Articles.—Parents’ Work in Their Children, MRS. E. G. WHITE … 6, 7

Works Good and Evil, S. N. H. … 7

Zion and Babylon, No. 1, I. E. KIMBALL … 7

God Careth, HELEN A. STEINHAUER … 8

The Day and Hour, BY B. L. DIEFFENBACHER … 8, 9

The Outlook.—Sectarian Appropriations Again, W. N. G. … 9

The Fireside.—Jess—Spring Tonics, No. 2, G. C. GOBS-MARK, M.D.—Do Not Grumble … 9, 10

Missions.—Some Results of Missionary Work in Turkey—Hinduism and Romanism—Our Work and Workers … 11, 12

International Sabbath School Lesson.—Faith from Death unto Life (Lesson 5, Sabbath, May 2, 1896) … 12, 13

International Sunday School Lesson.—Faith (Lesson 5, Sunday, May 3, 1896) … 13

News and Notes.

Publishers.

Mrs. E. G. White's Article for Parents

MRS. E. G. WHITE furnishes another excellent article in this number for parents. Let it be thoroughly read.

Zion and Babylon: Important Facts and Principles

THE article on “Zion and Babylon” is the first of a short series bringing out some important facts and principles in connection with the work of God.

The Seventh Chapter of Romans Explained

By Editor

We call special attention to the article on Romans in this issue, not that it is particularly better than its fellows which have preceded, but it touches a mooted point, one much misunderstood, namely, the seventh chapter of Romans. The matter is made very lucid in this article.

San Francisco Arrests Linked to Drunkenness

SAN FRANCISCO'S record in arrests by the police last year was 26,129, of which more than one-half were for drunkenness, and one-half of the remaining for offenses against law due indirectly to liquor drinking. What an argument this should be in favor of the abolition of the saloon!

Newspapers Should Not Print Murderers' Confessions

When a great daily newspaper gives its first page, invariably used for most important news, to a murderer's description of his revolting crimes, amounting to several over a score, it argues a depraved moral taste on the part of the publishers, or the public, who demand it, or both. It is simply revolting.

Snails as the Latest Fashionable Delicacy

AND now the latest fad in the fashionable world in the way of gustatory delights is a dish of snails. It is said that it bids fair to displace the succulent bivalve, the oyster. “And broth of abominable things is in their vessels,” says the prophet. Isa. 65:4. And yet we do not know why snails are not as good as oysters.

Boys' Military Drill and the Spanish War Fever

The following item we clip from the Union Signal; it is a natural outgrowth of the war education in our Sunday School Boys’ Brigades, and military drill, etc.:—

“The boys’ military organization in the Philadelphia public schools has the war fever, as might be expected. The boys are discussing the advisability of marching on Spain. One nine-year-old has made and burned paper copies of the Spanish flag and shot off his pistol as a part of his declaration. Small boys’ ‘doings,’ but it tells which way the wind blows, and will continue to blow with military training.”

Seven Physicians Prescribe Health Without Drugs

IN a recent daily paper seven physicians give prescriptions for health, but, strange to say, none of them prescribe drug medication—at least it would be strange under the old-time régime. One truly says that high living, boarding-house dinners, disordered liver, etc., are the causes of catarrh. One prescribes an orange for breakfast, another advocates swimming, another “biking,” another open air for nervousness, another horseback riding. All of which may be summed up in pure air, good food, and plenty of healthful exercise.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE “SIGNS.”

By Editor

To Our Friends and Patrons.

NEARLY one year ago the SIGNS OF THE TIMES was placed at the exceedingly low price of $1.00 per year; and, altho no great special effort was put forth to increase its subscription list, it was at that time nearly doubled. It has since more than trebled.

But a large number of the subscriptions of a year ago, both in clubs and single copies, expire this month; may we not hope that nearly all of these will be renewed? May we not expect more than this, that there will be more than enough new subscribers to make good whatever falling away there may be?

Our paper is a missionary paper, heralding the “gospel of the kingdom” of Christ. It can not stoop to many of the methods used by other papers to increase its circulation. It can not admit patent-medicine advertisements, or others of like character, to secure funds to do advance work. It feels that this would be doing injustice to its friends and readers. It does, however, depend upon its friends. It asks their assistance, in not only maintaining the present circulation, but in greatly increasing it. Do we ask or expect too much?

Time Setting.

In another column will be found a short article in which a noted prophetic teacher is quoted verbatim as setting the time for Christ to come March 5, 1896. In the Prophetic News of March another writer says that the 144,000 Christians referred to in Rev. 14:1 will ascend to heaven March 12, 1903, and the coming of Christ and the millennium will take place between 1901 and 1928. Another recent publication entitled “The Judgment and Old Liberty Bell,” finely illustrated, declares that the “first resurrection day” will occur July 4, 1896, and previous to that, in fact, this month, antichrist, in the person of Prince Napoleon, who was not slain in Zululand, in 1879, as has been supposed, will enter Turkey, and make a treaty with the Jews to return to Jerusalem, all of which we presume was believed by the author, and by many more—who will be disappointed when April and July 4, 1896, pass. Some will go into infidelity, and others will swallow the next time setter’s prognostications. So it will go on till some great deluder sets the time so far away that Christ will come and find the deluded unprepared. His coming is near, but God’s word has revealed neither the year, day, nor hour. Reader, do not be laughed into indifference by scoffers at Christ’s coming (2 Peter 3:3, 4), nor be deluded by false prophets who set times and seasons (Matt. 24: 23-26). His coming is near; that we may know. Matt. 24: 32-35. Wait, watch, work for him.

The Holiest Day

In a recent session of the Parliament of Canada, the premier, Sir Charles Tupper, was asked whether the House of Commons would sit on Good Friday, and he replied that if there were no objection it would. “Sir Richard Cartwright and Mr. Davies strongly protested, speaking as Anglicans, against the House sitting upon a day which was regarded by the members of that communion as one of the holiest of the whole year. They expressed the opinion that the feelings of the Anglican body throughout the country would be shocked if the House should set this bad precedent.” So reads the Toronto Globe. And this illustrates the modern drift, to count those days holy, such as Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, etc., which God has not made holy, and to count the one holy day above all others,—the Sabbath of the Lord,—a common day. Truly the words of the prophet are now applicable: “They have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” A bill is before Parliament to extend the scope of the Sunday law, and further oppress those who reverence God’s day. When that comes up, will there be found any in that body to plead for God? Fifty farmers have made a strong and righteous protest against the measure. Will it be heard in the interests, not of number, but of right?

War Preparations.

Just now it hardly looks like the millennium, when swords shall be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning-hooks, with the nations of Europe spending one hundred million dollars more on armies and navies than last year. England this year expends two hundred million dollars for war preparation. This country has quadrupled its appropriation for war purposes, making it over eleven million dollars. Of which prophecy, reader, is this the fulfillment? Is it that of “many people” whom the Lord declares will say: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”? or is it the prophecy of the Lord himself, which declares: “Proclaim ye this among the gentiles: Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears; let the weak say, I am strong.” Is it not the latter? and if the latter, we are near the coming of the day of God. We hear both prophecies, the false and true, and both confirm the word.

History Repeats Itself.

—It is a notable truth, uttered by Rev. John Robertson, of the City Temple, Glasgow, Scotland, published in a recent prophetic journal. After stating that God would show that all human government was a failure, so far as bringing forth righteousness is concerned, even with “saints” in possession of power, he refers to a noted example of this: “Just as in the Commonwealth, when Cromwell and the God-fearing, praying men ruled England, the evils and corruptions were only driven in—not removed. Otherwise you can not explain the terrible reaction which took place when Charles II. was restored. As soon as the Commonwealth was destroyed, and the iron rule in the name of God was lifted up, lo, the people rushed to dissipation and wickedness, as soon as the infamous Charles II. was brought back! So it will be at the end.” So it will be when so-called “Christian Citizenship” and National Reform triumphs. A church and state or religio-political government may make men hypocrites, or martyrs, but it can never make them righteous.

God's Anger Differs From Human Anger

God’s anger is not like man’s anger. God’s wrath is not like man’s wrath. When the Lord’s anger is visited upon the sinner, it is because the kindness of mercy is ineffectual, and the punishment of love only will meet the case. If we could see the case in all its bearings, if we knew the end from the beginning, we would know that God did the best and wisest that could be done. We may know the same thing by faith.