p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 24. (6/16/1898)

Earlier text: LESSON I.—SABBATH, JULY 2, 1898

ARMING OF THE NATIONS

Fifth Edition. Forty-second Thousand Now Ready.

Price, 10 cts. each; $5.00 per hundred.

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.

Price, 25c. . .

PACIFIC PRESS PUB. CO. Oakland, Cal.

NEW TRACTS.

READY MAY 31.

THE three new numbers of the Apples of Gold Library treat of the power of God, the Sabbath, and the coming of the Lord. Following is a description:—

Kept by the Power of God, No. 49; price, 25 cents per 100.

In this tract we are shown in verse and scripture How, When, Where, Why, and From What we are kept by the power of God. Judging from the depth of thought and earnestness expressed, the author wrote from experience gained by a living faith. The reader will find in this tract much that will inspire to a life of faith.

The Day of the Sabbath, No. 50; price, $1.00 per 100.

A series of earnest questions on the subject of the Sabbath, covering most of its Scripture phases, and bringing the truth home to every candid mind in the most direct, convincing, and least prejudicial way. Many of these questions have been successfully used by the author, Elder J. W. Raymond, in his experience in the past.

The Heralds of His Coming, No. 51; price, $1.50 per 100.

Presents in a brief, yet clear and convincing way, the fact that our Lord is coming again, the manner of His coming, and many of the chief signs which conclusively show that His coming is near. It is illustrated with a helpful diagram. The coming of Christ is the greatest event before the world to-day, and this little tract is sent out with a prayer that it may, under the blessing of the Lord, convince men that this is really so.

Typewriters Cheap

Until recently we have had the Pacific Coast Agency for the “World’s Greatest” Densmore Typewriter. The magnitude of our publishing work has compelled us to relinquish this agency, and we are closing out our old model machines VERY CHEAP. Write for particulars.

WORDS OF TRUTH SERIES.

No. Price.

1. The Coming of the Lord — ⅛c

2. How the Sabbath Came to Me — 1½c

3. Review of W. S. Gamble on the Sabbath Question — ½c

4. A Challenge to Protestants — ¼c

5. Fundamental Principles of Seventh-day Adventists — ¾c

6. Candid Admissions — ¼c

7. Personal Questions and Answers Concerning the Sabbath — 1¾c

8. The Way, the Truth, the Life — 2c

9. The Reign of Righteousness — 1¾c

10. First a Willing Mind, Then All — 1c

This excellent Series is published by the Review and Herald, and is on sale at all our State Tract Societies and offices of publication.

Sabbath School Maps

4 A. Lands of the Bible, especially the travels of St. Paul, 52x71 inches . . . $5 00

4 B. Same as above, reduced to one-half size . . . 3 00

4 C. Same as above, but reduced to 36x26 inches . . . 1 00

Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal.

39 Bond St., New York City. 14 to 18 West Fifth St., Kansas City, Mo.

THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD.

By M. C. Wilcox

By M. C. Wilcox. This tract of 40 pages sets forth in brief some of the more important events of the Great Day of God Almighty. It discusses the character of that day, shows when it begins, the coming of the Lord, the events in connection with that coming, the Millennium, the Saints in Judgment, when the Day of the Lord Ends, and the Eternal Home of the Redeemed. Bible Students' Library No. 65. Price, 5 cents.

Pacific Press Publishing Company,

Oakland, Cal.

39 Bond Street, New York City. 16 West 5th Street, Kansas City, Mo.

The Camp-meeting at St. Helena.

—It opened better than the one of last year left off. This was a reason of great encouragement. Of course there were the few who murmured at little things, but they were the few. The first meetings were meetings of rejoicing. The first service was dedicatory of the grounds. Elder Breed, the superintendent of this General Conference district, gave a cheering report of what God is doing elsewhere, which made others long for greater blessings. The next sermon was based on Hosea 10: 12, the burden of which was breaking up the fallow ground and sowing to righteousness. The first two evening sermons were on the eternal reward of the people of God, and the time when they enter upon that reward, by Brethren E. E. Andross and G. A. Snyder. The first Sabbath sermon was by Brother Ballenger, on the necessity of the right kind of faith, which shouted its triumph on the hither side of victory, which grasped victory by faith in the promise of God before the victory could be seen, instead of waiting for the other side before victory is celebrated. Many by faith gave themselves anew to the service of God, and the shout of victory was in the camp. This was followed by a discourse on Rom. 12: 1, by Elder J. W. Bagby, a most excellent talk on consecration. The day’s service closed with a social and praise meeting.

The first meeting of the conference brought out the interesting and encouraging fact that the conference debt of about $19,000 of last year had been liquidated, and the conference was clear of debt. Thus far for the progress of this meeting at the present-writing, June 4. The Spirit of God is present in abundant power, and greater blessings are expected.

Regarding Unordered Copies

By Editor

We send no papers from this office to individuals without 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 to pay for them. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends to read.

The $25,000 Proposition

By Editor

$ $ $ 25,000. $ $ $

We want every reader of the SIGNS to know about our twenty-five-thousand-dollar proposition. See it on page 12.

California Local Camp-Meetings

California Local Camp-meetings.—The camp-meeting at Alton, in Humboldt County, is postponed to July 7 to 17. This was found to be necessary, as it was impossible to get tents from the present meeting to Alton in time, as all but one steamer has been taken off the route. The San Diego meeting will be held August 18-28.

The Christian’s Weapons

The Christian is truly a soldier. But “tho we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”) 2 Cor. 10: 3, 4. Are you a Christian? If so, you are relying solely upon the Christian’s weapons. But if you are depending upon carnal weapons, then what? Make the answer alone betwixt thee and God.

Victims of Unwise Charity.

A report of the County Visiting Committee of the New York Charities Aid Association states that “of 366 children under six months old admitted to the Infants’ Hospital on Randall’s Island during the year 1896, 354 were dead by April 15, 1897. In other words, each motherless baby taken to the institution during that period, and supposed to be the object of the city’s fostering care, had 3.3 chances in 100 for its life.” It is homes, homes where there are father, mother, sister, brother, that is needed. And yet how few homes there are open to receive the poor little waifs! In many cases a wretched little dog is preferred to the child capable of endless immortality.

The Hittite Problem.

It was at one time a serious question among some of the Biblical critics as to whether such a people as the Hittites, about which the Pentateuch has so much to say, really existed. The Bible must to them be confirmed with other evidence. But while the child of faith needs not the outside evidence, yet he welcomes it for the sake of the honest skeptics. Finally Hittite inscriptions were found, but who could decipher them? It seemed to be an unsolvable problem. Well, Prof. Peter Jensen, of the University of Marburg, Germany, has devoted the last five years of his life to the task, and his perseverance has been rewarded. The first announcement of his discovery was made in the Sunday School Times of March 23, 1893, in recognition of the position of that paper in Biblical research. Professor Jensen claimed that the Hittite language was Indo-European and probably related to ancient Armenian. On this claim scholarship was divided. However, in the Sunday School Times of May 7, 1898, Professor Jensen strengthens his position by showing that the Armenian traditions support his claim of the Hittite origin of the Armenians. He also gives a picture of the fundamental conceptions of the Hittite religion. It is indeed interesting to note how God’s providence confirms His Word, and the Sunday School Times has been in this field an important factor.

CRITICISING THE SUPREME COURT.

By W. N. G.

THERE is a quite general opinion extant that the U. S. Supreme Court is above criticism, that its decision, or even its dictum, should be regarded as final. When Abraham Lincoln appealed to the people from the famous Dred Scott decision, the Democrats called it treason. When Wm. J. Bryan talked of appealing to the people from the Income Tax decision, the Republicans called it treason. When that court’s declaration that “this is a Christian nation” was criticised, certain church people declared such criticism treasonable. But Justice Brewer, a member of that court, who formulated the opinion of the court in two decisions that have been widely-criticised, has spoken on the subject of such criticism in a manner that deserves commendation. In a recent public address he is accredited with the following utterance:—

“It is a mistake to suppose that the Supreme Court is either honored or helped by being spoken of as beyond criticism. On the contrary, the life and character of its justices should be the objects of constant watchfulness by all and its judgments subject to the freest criticism. The time is past in the history of the world when any living man or body of men can be set on a pedestal and decorated with a halo. True, many criticisms may be, like the authors, devoid of good taste, but better all sorts of criticisms than no criticisms at all. The moving waters are full of life and health; only in the still waters are stagnation and death.”

Of course no one is justified in criticising any man or any body of men merely for the purpose of finding fault or creating distrust; and we are specially warned against speaking evil of dignities. 2 Peter 2: 10; Jude 8. But to expose the error of any principle enunciated, no matter by whom, is a different thing. All men are fallible, no matter how good their intentions, or how exalted their positions. That Supreme Court decisions are not infallible is evidenced in the fact that they are sometimes reversed by the court itself, and frequently there is positive dissent by members of the court. It is a great mistake, although a very common one, to suppose that the judicial arm of the United States Government is above the legislative or executive branches; it is simply co-ordinate with them. Each has its function, and in certain ways is a check upon the others. If either branch were above the others, that branch would be virtually the government—practically a dictator body.

Truth is truth, regardless of adverse opinion, or however vindictively assailed; it is only error that is weakened by exposure. The gold and silver are made purer and brighter by the fire; only the dross is burned. W. N. G.

Roman Catholics in Chicago.—

The increasing Roman Catholic population of our large cities, the great strategic political points and centers of influence, is worthy of note to the student of prophecy. For instance, take the growing city of Chicago. According to the New York Times, quoted by the Catholic Mirror of April 30, “there are at present, under the direct jurisdiction of Archbishop Feehan, 449 priests, of whom 329 are ‘seculars’ and 120 ‘regulars,’ or members of religious orders; 210 churches, with resident priests; 52 ‘attended’ churches, 48 chapels, and 17 stations attended by parish priests. There are 148 parochial schools, with an attendance of 49,555 pupils; 105 theological students; 5 colleges for boys, with an attendance of 1,140 students; 17 seminaries for girls, with an attendance of 2,248, and 6 reform and industrial schools. The Catholic population numbers 651,000.” This is about forty-seven hundredths of the entire population.

Ask Barabbas, and Destroy Jesus

“Ask Barabbas, and Destroy Jesus.”—Why did the Jews make such a choice?—It was natural. They had resisted the Spirit of God (Acts 7:51), hence they would act out the natural man, the “carnal mind,” which is “enmity against God” (Rom. 8:7). “For envy they had delivered” Jesus to Pilate; they were envious of His influence among the people, which had been shown on the occasion of the great ovation a few days before. On the contrary, they no doubt secretly sympathized with the constant uprising against the Roman Government of which Barabbas was an exponent. They were inconsistent in this, but Satanic fury is always inconsistent. They were persecuting Jesus because of His alleged designs against the government, but they favored the man who had been really guilty of such designs. In reality they were against Jesus because His deeds were righteous and their own were evil. In this they acted the part of Cain. 1 John 3:11, 12.

Diet, and Healing of Wounds.

The New York Medical Times tells us, in speaking of the Turko-Grecian War, that “the doctors remark upon the rapidity with which patients recover from wounds, and attribute it to the abstemious lives led by the Turkish soldiers, who drink no wine, eat but very little meat, and take plenty of vegetables. They are examples of the saying, ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ By their manner of living they escape the effects from which grosser livers suffer when wounded.” It is said that their vitality was wonderful. “One man who had his stomach penetrated by a bullet, not only kept his place in the ranks till the battle was over, but marched a distance of ten miles afterward. Another, with three wounds, two in the legs, and one in the shoulder, continued in the performance of his regular duties for twenty-four hours after their reception, and would probably have kept about until they healed, had not an officer, happening to notice his condition, told him to go to the hospital; and it was with great reluctance that the wounded soldier went.”

Scoles’ Musical Chart

SCOLES’ MUSICAL CHART is the title of a chart about 9x12 inches in size, that lies before us. Of it an accompanying slip says: “The theory of music in a nutshell. A veritable short cut to successful singing. Some of the musical ideas that are still taught today have little to recommend them but their musty antiquity. The author has let common sense, rather than custom, govern him in preparing this work. To illustrate: The syllables of the scale are given their English instead of Italian spelling. The time-honored custom of making rhythmics, or time, the first department in music is set aside, and melodics is made first, from the obvious reason that any one can more readily measure a tone after it is created than before. Many other changes will be apparent. The entire plan of the chart is sensible, simple, practical, and is commended by musicians and teachers everywhere.” And sensible, simple, and practical it seems to be to us. A key accompanies, giving whatever instructions are necessary to an easy understanding of the diagrams and definitions of the chart. It is what its name implies, a “short cut” to reading and understanding written music, with its various markings of expression, etc. Printed on heavy linen paper, 9x12 inches in size. Send 12 cents in stamps, or 10 cents in silver, for a sample copy to the author, J. W. Scoles, Lock Box 9, Martinsville, Ill.

“And those who have wisely taught shall shine as the brighte-