p. 8 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 19. (12/9/1908)

WITH OUR INQUIRERS

By Editor

2666.—The Revelation.

Rev. 1:1 declares: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass." All the things shown to John, that is in the book of Revelation, were to be fulfilled after his day. Yet Seventh-day Adventists, for instance, have Rev. 12:1-4 fulfilled before John died, over three score years. Therefore, should not the Revelation begin to be fulfilled after it was revealed to John, the servant of God, to fulfill the above word of God?

Our correspondent has drawn wrong conclusions from the expression found in Rev. 1:1. God's revelation refers to the past as well as to the future, and the prophecies, almost invariably, while predicting the future, connect it with the past. Revelation 5 is one of the keys to the book. It presents the Gospel as a book which was open to the world, and must of necessity begin at the time when it was especially revealed through our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore in that 5th chapter of Revelation, Jesus is represented as a Lamb slain; but this took place seventy-five years perhaps before John wrote the book. Yet it was a necessary part of the Revelation in order that the prophecy might show the connection between the past and the future. So it is with the twelfth chapter.

Take the letters to the churches, and there is constant reference to the things of the past. Take the revelation of the Lord Himself; the One who is, and who was, and who is to come. Take His own words regarding Himself: "I am He that liveth and was dead." All these past things are given to show the connection of the future with them, to show that God's word and God's plan are one. So when we have the beast power of Revelation 13 revealed, it begins with the composite beast, made up of the symbols of Daniel 7.

2667.—The Keeping of the Sabbath Day.

What shall we say or how shall we conduct ourselves when neighbors not of our faith call to visit us upon the Sabbath day? What we desire to know and do is not in any wise to offend our neighbor, and still honor God.

Of course this question could be answered in the very briefest form with the simple words, "Live a Christian." We can understand how timid souls would feel on such occasions as these, and more than likely the tendency would be to yield to worldly conventionalities rather than to do just what seemed to be duty. But if neighbors visit you on that day, that is a day that you have more leisure to talk with them. Why not tell them so? Say, I am glad that you have come, for now I have time and opportunity to talk with you upon a subject which is very near to my heart, which has brought great blessing to me, and I am sure would to you if you could be led to look upon it as I do. You have an opportunity to talk with them over Christian subjects; over the neighbor's own soul's welfare.

Of course if they are disinclined to talk about this, say nothing in conversation that would in any wise be wrong to say on the Sabbath. One of the great tendencies among Christians everywhere is to grieve away the Spirit of God by light and foolish conversation on the Sabbath day. Of course if the neighbor did not wish to talk about any religious things or good things, while a Christian should be very courteous and kind, it still is easy to show that common, ordinary worldly conversation is distasteful. While they may not enjoy Christian conversation, at the same time they will go away from your house with the feeling that you are true to your faith. They may be inclined even to sneer at your narrowness, but let trouble come, and then they will feel that you are one who can be depended upon. Let God be first, all other things secondary. But use the gifts and blessings and opportunities He gives so as to win others to Him.

2668.—How Long the Law? Luke 16:16.

This verse seems to state that the law was until John only. Will you please explain?

So this verse is sometimes interpreted, yet the same ones who interpret it thus will tell us that it extended to the cross and was done away when Jesus died. That is, altho it was until John only, still it had vitality to last three years longer and expire at the cross. An argument that proves too much proves nothing. The simple meaning of the text is seen if we supply the ellipsis, common in English language, and all languages. "The law and the prophets were preached until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." The great burden of the preaching before John's day was the law and the prophets, but when John came, the Gospel of Christ took a new burden. The Master was soon to appear. That is the entire thought of the text.

Paul tells us in Gal. 3:19 how long the law is to exist. It was given because of transgression, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made. That promise is the promise of the everlasting inheritance. The coming of that Seed is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to take to Himself His great power and reign, and the law lasts still to condemn sin and teach the way of righteousness until the Lord Jesus shall come again. It will no longer then act as a reprover of sin, but it will be found in the hearts of God's children from thence forward and forever, written there by the Spirit of God. Heb. 8:8-10.

2669.—The Prophet Esaias.

Will you please tell us why the book of the prophet Esaias is left out of the Bible? It is referred to in Matthew and other places.

The book of the prophet "Esaias" is not left out of the Bible. Esaias is the Greek form for Isaiah. We do not wonder that many souls are puzzled because of the difference in names in the Old and New Testaments. The American Revised Version has corrected all this, so that there can be no question between the names of the Old Testament referred to in the New.

We will mention a few other names, which may help our readers. For instance Hosea is referred to in the New Testament as Osee (Rom. 9:25); Joshua, as Jesus (Heb. 4:8); Elijah as Elias (Matt. 17:3); Elisha as Eliseus (Luke 4:27); and there are other names which undergo changes. The Greek used a different pronunciation of these names than the Hebrew, and therefore spelled them differently, and our translators used the Greek form rather than the Hebrew, very unwisely it seems to us.

2670.—The Psalms.

Will you please tell us why we do not use God's Book of Psalms for His sole praise?

Probably for the simple reason that the Spirit of the Lord in people impels them to praise Him in their own language sometimes, and these words seem so fitting that others use them also. The Psalms were not all composed at one time. The 90th Psalm was a Psalm of Moses, as stated in the title. Many of them were written by David; quite a number by Solomon; still later others by Asaph; and Daniel and Ezra may have written others; for some were not written till the time of those worthies.

The Psalms were generally used in the early church. They may have been exclusively used; they were the ones which the church found set to music; but we do not see any reason in Scripture why the church of God should not use other praiseworthy hymns for the service and worship of God. The great danger lies, of course, in teaching wrong theology through hymns. This should be always faithfully guarded.

Another reason, perhaps, which has led to the use of other means of praise, is the fact that the Psalms, which were truly poetic, are not written in rhyme, a more natural expression for Anglo-Saxons perhaps than the blank verse form, which lends itself better to anthems. Of course we do have the Psalms written in metrical form, but in many cases, the more modern hymns are preferable to the metrical Psalms, which men have had to put in their own words after all; and that is all that many of the modern hymns are, words of Scripture expressed in rhyme. Still, we feel, as our inquirer implies, that it would be a great deal better if we sang more of the grand old Psalms of God's Book.

2671.—How Were They Written?

Will you please explain Ex. 32:15, last clause? Were the Ten Commandments written on each side of the tables of stone, or just on one side? It would certainly seem from Ex. 32:15 that the tables "were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables." This includes verse 16.

This is said of the tables which the Lord first gave to Moses, and which Moses broke. Presumably the others were like them, and the writing was similar. Deuteronomy 10 seems to indicate that this was the case. They are usually represented as being written upon one side only. The reason why this is done, is that the artists wish to show only the two tables, and at the same time place the Commandments where they can be read, and so the artistic conception has placed the commandments on one side of each of the tables. Of course, so far as this is concerned, it is immaterial as regards the law itself. The manner of writing, however, is as given by the Scriptures.

2672.—The Yoke. Acts 15:10.

What is the yoke Peter refers to in this verse?

It is the great burdensome round of ordinances which the Jews had made out of God's law and ceremonies by their Pharisaic interpretations. They had so perverted it that it had become an intolerable burden.

Papal Propaganda in America.

By Editor

At this writing there is gathering in Chicago the first American Missionary Congress of Roman Catholics. Now as the pope has declared America a Catholic country, Roman Catholics are putting forth special effort to convert souls in America. A recent letter received by Cardinal Gibbons from Pius X declares: "We have learned with joy that very large numbers of the people of the United States of America are to-day turning with great interest to the study of the Catholic religion." In this work he finds two things worthy of his approval: "First, that the bands of priests organized for this work in various dioceses are closely subject to their bishops," and, secondly, "that all bitterness is excluded from their teaching, and that their sole aim is the true and full exposition of the Catholic teaching."

Now, Roman Catholics have the right to teach what they believe to be true, just as much right as have we or any other religion under the sun; yet we do not believe that they are teaching truth. We believe there is something much more commendable than what the pope states; namely, the teaching of the word of God as it is in Christ Jesus. Such a propaganda as this ought to stir Protestants to the very depths of their souls, and it will stir all those who have any true convictions as to the truth of the word of God.

Higher criticism and the new theology are taking away all missionary spirit on the part of professed Protestants to-day. Let them come back to simple faith in God's word, and they would find the power of the Reformation still with them and many souls would be converted to God.

It was a very startling thing a few years ago to hear a so-called orthodox Protestant minister proclaim his disbelief in God's word; to question the divinity of Christ or His resurrection. Such things are becoming more and more common. For instance, the Spokane Daily Chronicle of November 2 reports a sermon from a Congregational minister, Mr. W. J. Hindley, who teaches that Jesus was only the son of Joseph; that the simple and natural conclusion is that Jesus was the child of Joseph and Mary, and that upon this point there is no essential difference between His consciousness and our own; or, as the Chronicle itself expresses Mr. Hindley's thought, "that Jesus of Nazareth was no greater than His disciples, or any man who professes to be a Christian."

We are hearing very much of such teaching in these days; teaching that utterly denies the word of God. Think, reader! All that we know of Jesus of Nazareth is what the Bible tells us. If the Bible is wrong in a part of that narrative, why should we not doubt it all? And if we reject the very things in His life which the great sinning, sick world needs most, why not reject the story entirely? It is to such conclusions as these that the new theology drives the reasoning man. Jesus of Nazareth is what He professes to be to us in His word, or He is nothing and the world is entirely without hope.

Thank God, there are millions since He was here upon the earth who have demonstrated in their lives His own recreative power, who have found His word written in the Book, and have also found the experiences of having the same Spirit write the word in their own hearts and lives. Jesus Christ is all that He professes to be, and the needy, sin-sick world may trust Him.

Protestantism and Roman Catholicism.

By Editor

SO-CALLED Liberal Protestants at the present time are fondly hoping that they will see some such change in the Roman Catholic Church as has taken place in their own experience. In our opinion they are reckoning without their host. Roman Catholicism still pursues its traditional way. Higher criticism may have crept into that church, but it is cast out again. It will never yield to modernism.

In a recent work by a Liberal Protestant entitled "Passing Protestantism and Coming Catholicism," the author states that he believes in Catholicism. He states: "I believe in the Roman Catholic Church as it shall be a thousand years from now." That is, with the idea that the Roman Catholic Church shall change during the intervening time, still holding its wonderful organization, but holding at the same time very liberal doctrines. The Roman Catholic Church will not change. All her devotees know that just as soon as she does, she loses her identity.

At the same time that Liberal Protestantism is lauding the Roman Catholic Church and seeking a sort of union with it on the basis of compromise, the Roman Catholic Church is denouncing Protestantism as a heresy, and telling us she is only waiting a little while for Protestantism to die; in fact, some of our Roman Catholic friends declare that Protestantism is already dead; and they certainly judge rightly from the view-point of the many utterances which we hear from professed Protestant teachers at the present time.

Yet true Protestantism is not dead; it still lives. Its faith is still centered in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Book. By that it stands, by that Protestants are willing to risk their all. They can not regard the great apostasy in the Roman Catholic Church as a part of genuine Christianity. True Protestants are willing to admit that there are Christian Catholics, not BECAUSE of Roman Catholicism, but in SPITE of it. They are willing to concede the same fairness and privileges for Roman Catholics in teaching and instructing the world that they ask for themselves; but they do not believe, nay, more, to be true to God's word, they can not believe that the teachings of Roman Catholicism are correct. They feel that it is their duty to oppose those teachings. They have nothing against Catholics, but they have much against Catholicism.

God's word must not be made void by human criticism on the one hand or human tradition on the other. It must stand clear and free as in the days of Pentecost, and as it was in some of the times of the Reformation. The greater reformation lies before us; that of the sixteenth century was but the breaking of the morning, the clearing away of some of the clouds, the opening up, so to speak, of the spiritual heavens, the location of great guiding stars of God's Book; and that reformation will go on until the remnant church is stripped of every human fable, of every human tradition which makes void the word of God, of all science falsely so called, of everything that seeks by human wisdom to becloud the simple, clear utterances of the Bible. True Protestantism will not find its power in worldly federations, in union of church and state, but in vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Report on San Jose Scale Experiments

By Editor

We acknowledge the receipt of a valuable document from E. L. Worsham, state entomologist of Georgia. It is a "report on experiments for the control of the San Jose scale."

Suggestive Notes.

By Editor

It is impossible in the nature of the case to give any extended notes on such a large number of books which come in one week's reading. We may, however, note the following which may be of interest to many of our band readers:

1. Titus was an assistant of Paul in his Gospel work, accompanying that apostle to the council at Jerusalem as a Gentile Christian. See Gal. 2:1, 3. He was afterward sent by Paul as his special representative. See 2 Cor. 2:13; 7:6, 13-15; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18. The epistle was written probably about the year 64. The last mention of Titus is in 2 Tim. 4:10. It will be seen by the epistle that the apostle Paul had a great confidence in his fellow laborer, and trusted him with the setting in order of the things that were wanting in Crete.

2. The last of our Old Testament books is Malachi; written nearly 400 years before Christ; the last of the writings of the prophets. It points out the sad condition in which the Jews had come through their formalism, the sins that had crept in, and uses conditions then as a type of the last days. It abounds in precious promises to those who will render to God that which is His own.

3. The epistle to Philemon, containing but twenty-five verses, is a touching, tender, personal letter which the apostle writes to his fellow worker. The occasion for the apostle's writing the epistle was concerning Onesimus, a run-away slave, asking Philemon to favor him for the apostle's sake. The meaning of Onesimus, is "profitable," which will help to explain verses 10 and 11. In Col. 4:9 we learn that the meeting-place of Christians was at the house of Onesimus.

4. The epistle to the Hebrews is the counterpart of the book of Leviticus, and more; it is a revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially in His two-fold priesthood; He was of the order of Melchizedec, and also the antitype of the Levitical priests. The book shows how all the sacrifices of the past pointed to and met in Him.

No author to the epistle is given in the Bible. Many of the early fathers attributed it to Paul. Some have felt that it was written by Clement, others by Barnabas, the companion of Paul, others have ascribed it to Apollos and some scholars to Priscilla. That it was not written by Paul seems evident from Heb. 2:3. For the apostle makes it very plain in Galatians and Ephesians that he received not the Gospel by man, nor was he taught it by men, but by revelation of Jesus Christ; yet the writer to the Hebrews declares that the great salvation "at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;" which would clearly seem to indicate that the one who wrote the epistle was among those who received the Gospel from some one of the twelve apostles. It is a wonderful book, and will bear long, diligent study.

5. The book of James was written not by James, the son of Zebedee, and brother of John, but by James, "the brother of the Lord." Gal. 2:9. He seems to have been led to believe by special revelation. See 1 Cor. 15:7. The book is written to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. We must not gather from this that this had reference to those who were not Christians, but to those who were. See chapter 2:1. God counts as Israel always the remnant. We learn in Romans 11 that when the fleshly tribes were broken off by unbelief, believers were grafted in, and it is those who stand by faith who are counted the true. So when James writes to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, it is to the true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ; and it is an intensely practical book, the fifth chapter pointing right down to our own times.

Help for Our Missions.

By G. B. Thompson

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS are a missionary people. The third angel's message, which they carry, is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. It is a world-wide warning, and it is to this stupendous work that we as a people stand committed.

In 1874 Elder J. N. Andrews, our first foreign missionary, crossed the seas and planted the banner of this message among other nations. Since that time the message has made steady progress in the "regions beyond," until at the present time over seventy-five different countries have been entered; publishing houses, sanitariums, and schools have been established, and the message is being published in some fifty-four of the leading languages of the earth.

While it is true that we are not expending in missionary work abroad as much as some others of the large evangelical denominations, we are spending far more per capita, and operating on a missionary basis in more countries than any other denomination in the world.

To carry forward a missionary work so extensive requires at the present time a large expenditure of means,—approximately a thousand dollars a day. We greatly rejoice that it is so much as this, and will be glad to see even this large sum greatly increased, for this indicates progress.

So far we have carried forward our foreign missionary work without calling upon the world for any special financial help. But we believe that the time has come when this should be changed, and that those who control some of the untold financial resources of the world should be given the privilege of using this means to advance the last message men will ever hear, calling them away from their sins to a holy and righteous life.

To this end, a special time has been appointed by the General Conference, Nov. 22-28, known as "Thanksgiving Week," in which as a people we are to make a united and determined effort in behalf of our foreign work. A special number of our church paper, the Review and Herald, has been prepared. This issue is illustrated with cuts of our institutions in the various countries of the world, and contains interesting information concerning what we are doing to carry the Gospel to the millions who grope in the darkness of heathenism. These papers will be furnished free. The plan is to take these papers to our neighbors and friends, briefly call attention to the contents, give them a copy, and in return offer them the privilege of donating to foreign missions.

We believe this plan will commend itself to all our people, and if all take hold and lift, it will be a great success. Suppose that 60,000 believers in this message should gather in an average of $5.00 each; this would mean that $300,000 would be turned into the treasury for the extension of our work in the "regions beyond." And a much larger sum than this might be secured for God's final work of warning the world. Why not?

Altho the special week will be in the past when this reaches our readers, let them spend even a longer time, if necessary, in this great and good work.

G. B. THOMPSON.

Our Work and Workers.

By Editor

As a result of a tent effort at York, Pa., Brother A. R. Bell recently baptized five.

A SABBATH-SCHOOL of ten members has been organized at Brawley, Cal.

ABOUT ten members have united with the West Philadelphia church as the result of tent meetings during the autumn.

BRETHREN F. E. GIBSON and J. W. Shultz report the addition of twelve believers at Youngstown, Ohio, through their efforts.

BROTHER G. A. SNYDER states that about forty have been added to the church at Oakland, Cal., during the past year by baptism.

WRITING from Laguna, Cal., Brethren E. E. Brown and J. W. Bagby report the baptism of twelve persons, mostly heads of families.

A CHURCH of twenty-one members was organized at Prescott, Ariz., October 31. F. W. Wheeler makes the report.

BROTHER B. L. HOUSE, writing from Richmond, Va., reports the baptism of twelve at that place October 3. Sixteen were added to the church.

ELEVEN are keeping the commandments of the Lord at Chilton, Va., as the result of tent meetings conducted by Brethren G. A. Stevens and Clarence Hennage.

AT Coeur D'alene, Idaho, seventeen were baptized, October 25. Twenty-five are awaiting church organization. The work was carried on by Brethren Oster and Luther, and Sister Wilkinson.

BROTHER A. V. OLSON writes from Bemidji, Minn.: "We had the joy of baptizing five precious souls in beautiful Lake Bemidji. Others are in the valley of decision."

THE church at North Platte, Neb., has been strengthened by the addition of thirteen members, the fruits of a tent effort and Bible work by L. E. Johnson and Sister Esther Smith.

SUCCESS has attended the labors of Brother J. M. Ellis at Honey Creek church, near Monon, Ind. Ten have been baptized and six have united with the church.

"EIGHTEEN in all have united with the church here this fall; one upon profession of faith, six by letter, and eleven by baptism." J. F. Piper, Hagerstown, Md.

THE Lake Union Herald, Vol. 1, No. 1, dated November 4, representing the Lake Union Conference, has been received. There are eight pages devoted to the advancement of the work in that field. The press work is done by the Emanuel Missionary College Press, Berrien Springs, Mich. Subscription price, fifty cents a year.

A TENT effort conducted by Brother J. Ernest Bond and Brother and Sister I. P. Dillon at Douglas, Ariz., during the summer resulted in the baptism of twenty-four believers, and the organization of a church of about twenty-five members.

BRETHREN F. H. HOXIE and Claude White conducted a series of meetings at Mt. Pleasant, Mich., early in October. When the call was made, twelve took their stand for the truth, ten of whom were heads of families.

THE Christlicher Hausfreund, the German exponent of present truth in America, has issued a special world-missions number covering the same ground the special missions issue of the Review and Herald treats. The same illustrations are used, making an attractive journal for circulation among German-speaking people. As many of these papers as can be used will be mailed free by the publishers, Christlicher Hausfreund, College View, Neb.

Wanted for Missionary Work.

SIGNS and tracts. Geo. W. Long, Box 518, James, Mo.

Any of our periodicals and tracts for careful distribution. John Reid, 1311 North Tenth St., Tacoma, Wash.

SIGNS, Watchman, Instructor, Little Friend, Life and Health, Liberty, and tracts of all kinds. H. S. Peeke, R. F. D. No. 1, Fountain Head, Tenn.

Witchcraft in Africa

“Poor Africa is the most witchridden land on the globe. It is estimated that in that continent alone 4,000,000 people are killed every year in the endeavor to discover witches.”

Bishop Fowler on the Liquor Traffic

BISHOP FOWLER characterizes the liquor traffic as follows: "It is cunning as a fox, wise as a serpent, strong as an ox, bold as a lion, merciless as a tiger, remorseless as a hyena, fierce as a pestilence, and deadly as a plague."

FOOT-HILLS OF CALIFORNIA

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C. S. Fee, Passenger Traffic Manager, San Francisco, Cal.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY

Sabbath-School Lesson Quarterly

By Editor

The Sabbath-school Lesson Quarterly for the first quarter of 1909 is now ready for distribution. The lessons cover the book of Philippians in a comprehensive, helpful manner. The price is five cents a copy. Address your tract society or Pacific Press Publishing Company, Mountain View, Cal.

"Our Letter from Athens," from Professor Howell, beginning on the first page of this issue, ought to have been printed before. Our little journal did not permit. It does not give by any means now the latest phases of the Balkan question, but it does give very much of the true inwardness of the situation, as do the two letters which will follow. They are instructive and interesting reading, every line of them.

We are pained to note the death of Dr. A. H. Lewis, one of the old-time pillars in the Seventh-day Baptist denomination. Dr. Lewis is the author of several works on the Sabbath question; a man of deep learning, kindly in disposition, and a clear writer. He was for many years the editor of the Sabbath Recorder. The cause of his death was pneumonia. He died at Alfred Center, N. Y., while his home is in Plainfield, N. J. He was one that his denomination could ill afford to spare.

The first American Catholic Missionary Congress was held in Chicago from Sunday, November 15 to Wednesday, November 18, under the auspices of the archbishop of Chicago and the Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States. This logically follows the making of the United States a Catholic country by the pope. The object and work of this society ought to be of interest to all Christian people and we will therefore present a report of it from our own correspondent who was in attendance. This report will probably be presented in our first number of the year. We can assure our readers that it will be of interest.

THE GREAT, GLAD TIDINGS OF GOD

By Editor

For 1909.

WHAT shall we promise our readers for the year to come? Many journals and magazines offer the influence of great names, the pen productions of great writers, the opinions of world-famed men and women. The "Signs of the Times" deals with topics of eternal interest to all, vital with the very life of God. It has no great names to present as writers, but it has what is of infinitely more importance, the great eternal truths of God; and the great truths of God presented by weak and unknown men are more than the hypotheses and speculations of the human, presented by the mightiest of men. "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." But we do not mean by this that weak men will write for the "Signs of the Times," apart from the fact that all men are weak. The greatness and strength of men are only rightly measured by their connection with God, and the greatness of their mission and message by the truth that is in the message, and the power of God there is in the men.

That both truth and power may be manifest in the "Signs of the Times" in 1909 is the prayer of its publishers and editors and, we doubt not, many of its readers and friends.

This journal is published neither for profit nor fame; it has one mission; namely, to proclaim the everlasting Gospel,

THE GREAT, GLAD TIDINGS OF GOD.

The world is sick, and the church of God is torn, wounded, distracted, divided, in need. There are many professed physicians and prophets of peace who have not helped the great, sick world, and at the best have healed but slightly the hurt of the daughter of God's people.

All serious, thoughtful hearts feel that a crisis is impending for world and church; feel the need of a remedy; feel that God must be met, and that a preparation is needed. The publishers of this journal believe that the crisis and its character are clearly set forth in the word of God, that the remedy for earth's ills is found in the everlasting Gospel, that the preparation to meet God is obtained in the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, imparted freely by His Spirit to all who will believe. God wants to restore His church to her primitive simplicity and purity. He stands waiting to bestow upon His children the wisdom and power of God whenever His people are willing to renounce their idols of world-worship, their temples and shrines to tradition, their craving for the human power of civil law as a substitute for the Spirit of God, their hypotheses of Higher Critics and science, falsely so called, for the eternal truths of the Gospel.

It shall be the mission of the "Signs of the Times" to do its part in the work of God, to note some of the many signs and evidences of the times which herald the near-coming of our Lord, and to be true to its motto: "As we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts." We believe that there are thousands of souls in this country who wish to read such a paper as this, who prefer truth, unpopular tho it may be, to human creed, popular tho it may be; who would choose the cross of Christ rather than error and sin; who wish to know just what the word of God, unshaded, unfettered, unmixed, teaches, what warnings it gives, what comfort, and strength, and encouragement it imparts. We wish our readers and friends to help us in this work. We desire above all things else their earnest prayers, and their cooperation in extending the circulation of the paper. Shall we have it for 1909 even as we have had it in the past, and more?

The times in which we are living demand earnest work on the part of the heralds of the cross of Christ, on the part of those who are looking for His second coming. Let 1909 be a year in which we shall plan for God, trust in God, and work for God, and may He give us glorious success in the winning of souls to His truth.

Our Bible Band.

By Editor

SHALL we read the Bible through next year, 1909?—Of course we will. At least, that is the way many of our Band members feel. They have received so much good, they have learned so many things, the Bible seems like a new book to many; surely they wish to read it through once more in 1909.

They wish to visit again the ancient Eden home; learn anew of the devotion of Abel, Enoch, and Noah; visit Abraham, and hear from his lips the lesson of growing faith as he viewed the shining stars in the clear nights of Syria. They would read again the story of Joseph and his brethren. Once more would their hearts grow tender at the thrilling, eloquent appeal of Judah for Benjamin. They would follow Israel through their wilderness wandering to their triumphant entrance into the "Land of Promise."

They would listen to the voices of the prophets as they predicted the coming Messiah, and weep with the captive Israelites, whose weary eyes failed with longing for the coming One. But time would fail us to even mention the thousand and one gems of beauty and knowledge and love and tenderness which greet us in a journey through the blessed Book.

"But I have failed to keep up with the course," says one, "and I hesitate about trying it again." But why? If we failed in 1908, by all means let us not fail in 1909. If we have not gotten the knowledge we desired this year, all the more should we redeem our failures next year. For about a third of a century the editor has gone through the word with one or two exceptions each year, sometimes oftener. He is a busy man, but he feels that it will well repay him to read it again. In fact, he reckons that he can not afford not to do it. But he wishes company, lots of it. How many of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES family will go with him?

New Schedules.

By Editor

Our plan next year will differ somewhat from that of the present. We will endeavor to equalize as far as possible each day's reading, giving a morning lesson from the Old Testament, and an evening lesson from the New. Our old schedules will not do for the year to come; we have had to print new ones. Those who will send us five cents will receive a schedule. Our card list of old members will be retained if each one as he asks for a schedule will give his card number. All new ones who desire cards as well as schedules will enclose ten cents. This is not a money-making or labor-saving matter with us. But the plan has helped others in the blessed word; it has given the inspiration of united effort and study, and we are glad. Send in at once for schedule of readings for 1909. Schedules to the number of ten or more to one address, two cents each.

DATE OF EXPIRATION.

By Editor

The SIGNS' wrapper bears date of last issue due on your subscription. Unless renewed in advance, paper stops with expiration date.

If herewith is an order-blank, you will know you have overlooked sending renewal. You will not wish to miss a single issue. Back numbers often can not be furnished.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS.—When a change of address is ordered, both the new and the old address must be given. The notice should be sent one month before the change is to take effect.

HOW TO REMIT.—Remittances should be sent by Draft on San Francisco or New York Express-order, or Money-order, payable to order of SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Cash should be sent in Registered Letter.

Signs of the Times for 1909

By Editor

THE "SIGNS OF THE TIMES" FOR 1909 WILL BE PUBLISHED AS HERETOFORE, FIFTY NUMBERS A YEAR, 16 PAGES, ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTHLY. PRICE, $1.50 A YEAR, AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE.