p. 799 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 50. (12/29/1887)

Earlier text: NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON

SACRED CHRONOLOGY, AND THE PEOPLING OF THE EARTH.

"SACRED CHRONOLOGY" is a new and revised edition of a little work published by S. Bliss about forty years ago, giving the chronology from creation till the death of the apostle John. The peculiar and valuable feature of this work is that the chronology is established by the words of the Scripture itself. This is a most valuable little work. The chronology of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, as given in Kings and Chronicles, is often a perplexity to the Bible student. In this work the subject is relieved of all difficulty. Beside the connection as given in the words of Scripture, there are tables given which show at a glance the successive kings of Israel and Judah, and which of them reigned at the same time. Thus the subject is made so plain that it can be very easily understood.

"The Peopling of the Earth" is a series of historical notes on the tenth chapter of Genesis. It gives an outline of the origin and descent of all the principal nations of the earth—the Greeks, the Romans, the Scotch, the Irish, the Welsh, the English, the Germans, the Scandinavians, the Russians, the Chinese, etc., etc. It forms an excellent introduction to universal history.

This little book is just the thing for Bible students everywhere—in college, in Sabbath-school, and in the home. Send for a copy; you will find it invaluable. Cloth binding, 300 pages, sent post-paid for $1.00. Address, Pacific Press Publishing House, Oakland, Cal.

THE AMERICAN SENTINEL,

By Editor

AN EIGHT-PAGE MONTHLY JOURNAL,

DEVOTED TO THE DEFENSE OF AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS, THE PRESERVATION OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AS IT IS, SO FAR AS REGARDS RELIGION OR RELIGIOUS TESTS, AND THE MAINTENANCE OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS.

It Will ever Be Uncompromisingly Opposed to Anything Tending Toward a # UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE, # Either in Name or in Fact.

It will discuss subjects of the deepest interest to all American citizens, and every position taken will be fortified by sound argument.

Terms: Fifty cents per year, post-paid; sample copies free.

If you will send us the names of two new subscribers at fifty cents each, we will send you the paper one year free, or in clubs of five or more copies we will send the papers at the rate of thirty cents each per year.

We will send the AMERICAN SENTINEL one year, and any book mentioned below, post-paid, for the price named opposite the book. Or they can be obtained from any State T. and M. Society.

"Practical Manual of Hygiene and Temperance," - - - $1 00 "Revised Version of the New Testament," - - - 1 00 "The Life of Christ" (800 pp.), by C. Geikie, D. D., - - 1 00 "The United States in Prophecy," - - - 1 00 "The Coming Conflict in this Country," - - - 1 00 "The Constitutional Amendment, the Sunday Law and the Sabbath Question," - - - - - - 1 25 "The Atonement in the Light of Nature and the Revelation," by J. H. Waggoner, - - - - - - 1 25 "Our Country—the Marvel of Nations," its Past, Present, and Future, by Uriah Smith, - - - 1 35 The Pacific Health Journal, a 32-page monthly magazine of Hygiene and Temperance, one year, - - - 1 35 "The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan," over 20 full-page illustrations, popular edition, - - 1 75

Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Publishers, 1059 Castro St., Oakland, Cal.

HEALDSBURG COLLEGE,

HEALDSBURG, CAL.

A MODEL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION,

ESTABLISHED IN 1882.

FIVE YEARS OF GREAT PROSPERITY BECAUSE FOUNDED ON SOUND PRINCIPLES. LABOR COMBINED WITH STUDY.

FOUR courses of instruction, classical, scientific, biblical, and normal; also preparatory instruction given in a primary and a grammar course.

Instruction thorough and practical, not only in the collegiate courses but especially so in the preparatory courses.

Discipline rigid, yet parental, combined with strong moral and religious influences.

Expenses moderate. The whole cost to the student for tuition, board, lodging, lights, washing,—all expenses except for books and clothes, from $16 to $22 per month of four weeks.

Spring term begins January 3, 1888. For descriptive catalogue and further information address the principal, W. C. GRAINGER, Healdsburg, Cal.

VIEWS OF NATIONAL REFORM.

By Editor

PACKAGE NO. 1, 184 PAGES, 20 CENTS.

THIS package contains thirteen tracts treating upon the various phases of the National Reform movement, as follows:—

NO. .................................................... PAGES.

Religious Legislation, ........................... 8
Religious Liberty, ............................... 8
National Reform and the Rights of Conscience, ..... 16
The American Papacy, ............................. 16
Bold and Base Avowal, ............................ 16
National Reform is Church and State, ............. 16
Purity of National Religion, ..................... 8
The Salem Witchcraft, ............................ 8
What Think Ye of Christ? ......................... 8
National Reformed Constitution and the American

Hierarchy, .......................................... 24

The Republic of Israel, ......................... 8
National Reformed Presbyterianism, ............... 32
The National Reform Movement an Absurdity, ..... 16

The above package will be sent post-paid to any address for twenty cents.

Address, AMERICAN SENTINEL, Oakland, Cal.

SABBATH-SCHOOL HELPS.

Clarke's Commentary, 6 vols., sheep............................$24 00 Barnes' Notes, 14 vols........................................ 21 00 Smith's Comp. Bible Dictionary, sheep......................... 6 00 " " " " cloth.......................... 5 00 Biblical Atlas and Gazetteer.................................. 2 00 Smith's Dictionary of Bible, Teacher's Edition................ 2 00 History of Reformation........................................ 1 50 " " Romanism, cloth.................................. 4 00 " " " half Morocco............................. 4 50 Young's Concordance, cloth ................................... 5 00 " " leather ................................... 6 00 Cruden's ..................................................... 1 50 Blunt's Coincidences ......................................... 1 50 Whiston's Josephus, large .................................... 3 00 Hand Book of Bible Geography. ................................ 2 25 " " " " Manners, etc................................ 2 25 Geikie's Life of Christ, large................................ 1 75 " " " " small.................................... 50 Christ in the Gospels......................................... 1 50 Sketches of Jewish Social Life................................ 1 25 The Temple and Its Services................................... 1 25 From Exile to Overthrow....................................... 1 25 Model Superintendent.......................................... 1 00 Story of the Bible............................................ 1 00 Teachers and Teaching......................................... 1 00 Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress................................... 1 00 Life of Apostle Paul (C. and H.).............................. 1 00 Giant Cities of Bashan........................................ 1 00 Story of the Gospels ......................................... 50 First Steps for Little Feet in Gospel Paths................... 50 Art of Securing Attention, pamphlet .......................... 15 " Questioning, " .......................... 15 Uses of Illustrations, " .......................... 15 Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal.

OUR COUNTRY—THE MARVEL OF NATIONS.

By Uriah Smith

ITS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, AND WHAT

THE SCRIPTURES SAY OF IT.

By U. SMITH.

AUTHOR OF "SMITH'S PARLIAMENTARY RULES," ETC., ETC.

This is a new and popular work on a subject of the deepest interest to all American citizens. It takes a brief but comprehensive view of our Government from a Historical, Political, and Religious Standpoint.

The Sunday Question, Modern Spiritualism, and National Reform

ARE PROMINENT AMONG THE TOPICS ABLY DISCUSSED IN THIS WORK.

THE MARVEL OF NATIONS is a work of 300 pages. It contains a steel plate of the author, and over forty illustrations. It is printed in clear type, and bound in cloth; price, $1.00. Address, AMERICAN SENTINEL, Oakland, Cal

PACIFIC HEALTH JOURNAL

By Editor

AND TEMPERANCE ADVOCATE.

A THIRTY-TWO PAGE MONTHLY MAGAZINE, devoted to the dissemination of true temperance principles, and instruction in the art of preserving health. It is emphatically

A JOURNAL FOR THE PEOPLE.

Containing what everybody wants to know, and is thoroughly practical. Its range of subjects is unlimited, embracing everything that in any way affects the health. Its articles being short and pointed, it is specially adapted to farmers, mechanics, and housekeepers, who have but little leisure for reading. It is just the journal that every family needs, and may be read with profit by all. Price, $1.00 per year.

Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Publishers, Oakland, Cal.

THE ADVENT REVIEW

By Editor

AND SABBATH HERALD.

A RELIGIOUS FAMILY JOURNAL, PUBLISHED WEEKLY AT BATTLE CREEK, MICH., BY THE S. D. A. PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION.

SIXTEEN large, closely printed pages of choice reading matter, treating upon all the Prophetic themes of the Bible, the Signs of the Times, Second Coming of Christ at Hand, Closing Reforms in the Church, the Gospel of Christ, Conversion, Practical Godliness, etc.

This is the organ of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, the oldest journal of this people. It is now in its sixty-second volume. Contains full reports from the ministers and the doings of the different organizations of this denomination. No one should fail to take the Review and Herald. Price, in advance, $2.00 per year.

Address, REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich.

THE GREAT CONTROVERSY

By Editor

BETWEEN CHRIST AND SATAN

DURING THE CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION.

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE. Author of "The Life of Christ," "Sketches from the Life of Paul," "Bible Sanctification," and Other Popular Works.

THIS volume presents the most wonderful and intensely interesting history that has ever been written of the great conflict between Christianity and the Powers of Darkness, as illustrated in the lives of Christian martyrs and reformers on the one hand, and wicked men and persecuting powers on the other. Beginning with our Lord's great prophecy given while viewing Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, this book outlines the history of the whole dispensation down to the time when "sin and sinners are no more; God's entire universe is clean; and the great controversy is forever ended."

Below we give a brief synopsis of the subjects considered—Destruction of Jerusalem; Persecutions in the First Centuries; The Roman Church; The Waldenses; Early Reformers; Luther's Separation from Rome; Luther before the Diet; Progress of the Reformation; Protest of the Princes; Later Reformers; The Two Witnesses; God Honors the Humble; William Miller and His Work; The First, Second, and Third Angels' Messages; The Tarrying Time; The Midnight Cry; The Sanctuary and 2300 Days; An Open and a Shut Door; Modern Revivals; The Investigative Judgment; Origin of Evil; Enmity between Man and Satan; Agency of Evil Spirits; The Snares of Satan; The First Great Deception; Ancient and Modern Spiritualism; Character and Aims of the Papacy; The Coming Conflict; The Scriptures a Safeguard; The Loud Cry of Rev. 18; The Time of Trouble; God's People Delivered; Desolation of the Earth; The Controversy Ended.

The period of history covered by this volume, is one of the deepest interest to all classes of readers. The style of the author is clear, forcible, and often sublime, and, although simple enough in its statements to be understood and appreciated by a child, its eloquence calls forth the admiration of all.

The demand for this popular book is so great that we have had to print ten editions of it, and as we have hundreds of agents in the field canvassing we expect to sell many thousand copies of this valuable book during the next few months. If there is no agent in your town please send us your address and we will send you descriptive circulars or have an agent call upon you.

The "Great Controversy" contains over 500 pages, 21 full-page illustrations and Steel Portrait of the Author; printed and bound in the very best style.

Active Agents Wanted in Every Town and County in the United States. For Terms and Territory, Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Publishers, 12th and Castro Streets, Oakland, Cal.

GOOD HEALTH.

By Editor

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

GOOD HEALTH is emphatically a Family Journal, being cheap, plain, and practical, qualities which have won for it the largest circulation of any Health Journal in America. It is devoted to all reforms, but is ultra in none. It is unpartisan and unsectarian. Its only creed is nature's laws. It treats of Health, Temperance, General Literature, Science, and many other interesting and practical subjects; it is a live journal, and every way adapted to the wants of the family. There is something in it for everybody. Price, $1.00 a year.

Address, GOOD HEALTH, Battle Creek, Mich.

The Pagan Theory of Immortality

By Editor

At the Howard Street M. E. Church, Rev. Dr. Harcourt preached a sermon Christmas-day on the immortality of the soul, which question he settled to his own satisfaction, as follows:—

“The great question that concerns us is, ‘Does death end all?’ Has man ceased to be, when the physical is destroyed? The conclusions of the materialist we cannot accept. They are neither reasonable nor religious. It is impossible to account for the existence of an organized brain without a pre-existing mind through and by which it was produced and developed.”

From his conclusion we should suppose that the question was not, “Does death end all?” but, “Does birth begin all?” His argument makes solely for the pre-existence of souls, and not only that, but it makes the soul the creator of the physical organism in which it dwells. In other words, it is but the old Platonic theory that men are gods. It is an evidence of the fact that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul cannot be argued without the use of pagan arguments. That doctrine does away with the necessity for one God, the Creator of all things; it tends only to paganism, and to pagan morality, which is immorality.

Catholicism and Morality in Mexico

By Editor

THE following is a translation of an item that appeared in El Pueblo, of October 13, a paper published in Chihuahua, Mexico:—

"Last Sunday a bull-fight was given by amateurs for the purpose of devoting the receipts to the interior adornment of the parish church. The assemblage were pleased and satisfied; with reason, if some persons were bruised."

The Independent says that this series of performances has been kept up on Sunday afternoons. It says also:—

"A few months ago in Southern Mexico a bull-ring was dedicated with religious ceremonies conducted by a priest. It is by no means an unknown thing for a Mexican priest to live openly with his mistress and his children about him in the residence near the church edifice."

And this is a fair specimen of the morality of Catholic countries. Catholics are fond of pointing to the wonderful educational facilities which they provide for their people in this country, as evidence of the progressive nature of Catholicism, but that proves nothing; the only way we can properly understand what Catholicism is, and what it does for the people, is to look at it in countries where it has full swing. Mexico has been under Catholic control for more than three hundred years; if Catholicism has in it anything of an elevating nature, and is so great an educator and civilizer as is claimed, Mexico ought to be in advance of the United States. But the fact is, Catholicism in the United States is brought in contact with enlightened Protestantism, and is forced to make a show of advancement in sheer self-defense.

While we speak thus disparagingly of Catholicism, we say nothing whatever of individual Catholics. There are thousands of honest men in the Roman Catholic Church, and many of them will yet renounce its errors. But Roman Catholicism, as a system of religion, can do nothing to elevate men, for it is but the "mystery of iniquity," and many men who under other circumstances would have been upright, moral men, have been ruined simply because of their connection with the system.

Regarding Unordered Papers

By Editor

We send no papers from this office without pay in advance unless by special arrangement. 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 and hand them to your friends to read.

Index of Volume 13

By Editor

We will send the index of volume 13 to anyone who will send a stamp to pay postage. Of course those who keep their papers on file will want the index.

The Pope and England-Ireland Controversy

We may now expect the Pope to take a more active part than ever in the controversy between England and Ireland. A Catholic priest has been sentenced to imprisonment for one month in Ireland, and a prominent Irish official has gone to Rome expressly to enlist the Pope on the side of Ireland.

The President’s Jubilee Gift to the Pope

By Editor

The President's Jubilee gift to the Pope is a copy of the Constitution of the United States, beautifully engrossed, and richly bound in book form. Now let somebody send him a copy of the ten commandments, and his library will be complete.

Practice Needed in Christian Union

In the discussion of the paper on the "Necessity of Co-operation in Christian Work," at the late meeting of the Evangelical Alliance, many sweet things were said about union, etc., but Dr. Washington Gladden looked at the matter from the hard common-sense rather than the sentimental standpoint. Said he: "There is too much talk, too much gush, and not enough practice. Profession should halt till practice catches up." He also said that he did not think much of union revival meetings. He compared such "wholesale evangelization" to trying to warm a great city by a bonfire in a public square instead of by fires in the houses. This comparison may be meditated upon with profit.

A Christ the National Reformers Accept

By Editor

The Hebrew Journal, speaking of the first advent of Christ, says:—

"The Jews of that time, full of the conceit of their own goodness, and contempt for the Gentiles' wickedness, expecting, too, a warrior Saviour, rejected him; but what if he came now, when we can appreciate, understand, and rightly value all the sweetness, usefulness, nobility, and elevation of his teachings?"

Yes, what if he should? Why, they would accept him, of course. No, indeed they would not, if he should come in the same way that he came eighteen hundred years ago. But the National Reformers are planning for a coming of Christ such as they will accept. They are going to have him come just as the ancient Jews wanted him to come, and it will involve no self-denial to accept him. Indeed, all the self-denial that will be called for will be on the part of those who refuse to enroll themselves in the National Reform kingdom.

Raffling in Church Fairs

By Editor

THE Christian Advocate (N. Y.) tells of a Presbyterian minister in New Jersey who opposed raffling in church fairs, and "his action made so much disturbance that he announced a few days ago that he should lay his resignation before the Presbytery." We have no doubt that there was quite a disturbance also in the temple when Jesus drove out the money-changers and them that sold doves. But he drove them out nevertheless. And yet their traffic was entirely decent and honorable as compared with raffling. Theirs were legitimate transactions anywhere except in the house of God, while raffling is nothing but gambling anywhere. Query: If that which was legitimate business anywhere else, made the house of God a den of thieves when transacted there, then what does that which is thieving everywhere make the house of God when conducted there?

The Closing Volume

By Editor

THIS issue completes volume 13 of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The first number of volume 14 will be dated January 6, 1888. We wish to express our thanks to the kind friends who have encouraged us by their words of appreciation, and to those who have worked in various ways for the paper. While the words of commendation which the SIGNS has received, are very gratifying to us, yet we are not satisfied with the volume that is just closing. This is not because we have not done our best for it, but because our best is so far below our idea of what the paper ought to be. We confidently trust, however, that added experience and the help of God will enable us to make the next volume better than any previous one. We are sure that the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has a mission to accomplish, and the greatest source of encouragement to us are the reports that frequently come to us, of people being brought to a saving knowledge of the truth through its influence. We ask, not as any special favor to ourselves, but for the sake of the cause of truth, that our friends aid us in this work, by their correspondence, and by laboring to increase the circulation of the SIGNS. How many readers of the SIGNS are there, who could not secure one subscriber for 1888? Who will try. We are certain that everyone who will make a little determined effort will succeed.

The White Cross and Spiritualism

The White Cross movement is bound to be a prodigious success now! Social purity is now in a fair way to be fully assured to all the world! for the devil has espoused the cause, and nowadays when that very respectable dignitary endorses a thing it is pretty apt to be very generally received. Sunday evening, December 18, in San Francisco, W. J. Colville, one of the leading Spiritualists of the country, the leading "inspirational speaker," and the leading teacher of Spiritualistic "science," gave an "inspirational" discourse on the White Cross movement, in which the author of his inspiration set forth sentiments in which he made himself to appear almost as an angel of light. He said it was intended to become so universal as to reach into every civilized country and people. It is altogether likely that it will, but wherever it may reach, the indorsement of Spiritualism will be its worse curse and the heaviest burden that it will ever be called upon to bear.

THE PROMOTER OF SIN.

THE author of the "Philosophy of the Plan of Salvation" truly says: "All happy obedience must arise from affection, exercised toward the object obeyed. Obedience which arises from affection, blesses the spirit which yields it, if the conscience approve of the object obeyed, while, on the contrary, no being can be happy in obeying one whom he does not love. To obey a parent, or to obey God, from interested motives would be sin. The devil might be obeyed for the same reason. All enlightened minds agree to what the Bible confirms, and what reason can clearly perceive without argument, that love for God is essential to every act of religious duty. To tender obedience or homage to God, while we have no love for him in our hearts, would be dishonorable to the Maker, and doing violence to our own nature."

Than this we know of no paragraph in all literature that more clearly reveals the essential wickedness of all enforced conformity to religious duties, and therefore the wicked cruelty of all State interference in religious things. "No being can be happy in obeying one whom he does not love." Therefore for Governments to compel men to conform to duty toward God, while bearing in their hearts no love for him, is only to compel men to sin, because, saith the Scriptures, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." While for the State to offer inducements to men, that would lead them to conform to religious duties from interested motives, would also be sin. "To tender obedience or homage to God while we have no love for him in our hearts, would be dishonorable to the Maker, and doing violence to our own nature." Now such is precisely what the National Reform scheme proposes to do to the people of this nation. The National Reformers propose to compel men to tender obedience and homage to God, while they have no love for him in their hearts. Therefore the direct result of the triumph of National Reform principles will be to compel men to dishonor their Maker and do violence to their own natures, and thus vastly to increase the ratio of sin in the nation and hasten its destruction.

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES,

By Editor

PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE

International Tract and Missionary Society.

A sixteen-page Religious Family Paper, devoted to a discussion of the Prophecies, Signs of the Times, Second Coming of Christ, Harmony of the Law and Gospel; with Departments devoted to Health and Temperance, The Home Circle, the Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school.

Price Per Year, post-paid, - - - - $2.00

In clubs of five or more copies to one name and address, to be used in Missionary work, each, - - $1.50

To foreign countries, single subscription, post-paid, 10s

Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Twelfth and Castro Sts., OAKLAND, CAL., U. S. A.