p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 8. (2/19/1902)

Earlier text: LESSON 9.—MARCH 2.—THE STONING OF STEPHEN

War and Commercialism.

The Countess Von Krockow, writing in the Independent on “Germany at the Close of 1901,” utters these striking sentences:—

That past [before Bismark] afforded something for the higher soul in man, some ideals of a spiritual nature; the notion, among others, of fraternity, equality, and individual freedom, and during a long time, men died for these. Now they are made to perish in the service of another god. 1901 A.D., if embodied in the shape of an idol, would hold the model of a cannon in one hand, and that of a factory in the other.

It is war and commerce the world over. Some men’s hearts grow hard and cruel in the lust for blood and the ephemeral glory of war; others grow equally hard and more oppressive and exacting over commercial greed, the love of money. How the sweet Spirit of Christ is not only crowded out, but driven away forever. And yet many in the professed churches of Christ glorify Mars, and worship at the shrine of Mammon.

The Sabbath of Christ

The Sabbath of Christ is the title of a new 16-page monthly magazine, published by the American Sabbath Tract Society, Plainfield, N. J., and edited by A. H. Lewis, D.D. Subscription price, 25 cents a year. The initial number contains valuable matter pertaining to the subject of which the magazine is an exponent. Some of the leading articles are, “Reasons for Giving the Sabbath a Rehearing;” “Ignorance of Clergymen Concerning the Sunday Question;” “History of Sunday in the New Testament;” and “The Sabbath in the Gospels.” These articles throw much light on the topics treated. We are sorry to see that the editor weakens his case against Sunday legislation by recognizing it in any form. He says, “The rest demanded by Sunday legislation must be permissive [and protected so far as employed persons are concerned] rather than compulsory, as at present.” Why do men need “permissive” legislation in the matter of Sunday observance, any more than Dr. Lewis needs a civil law permitting him to keep the seventh day? Neither he nor any of his Seventh-day Baptist friends think such a legal permission essential. It is impossible to recognize Sunday legislation at all, without opening the door to all that the principle logically leads to, and to which it surely will lead, if encouraged in any form.

Conditions in the Philippines

Conditions in the Philippines are well set forth in the reply of Mr. Dooley to Mr. Hennessey, “Phat about the throuble in the Fillypeens?” says Mr. Hennessey. “It is all over,” says Mr. Dooley. “All over?” “All over;” that is, all over the Philippines. Mr. Stephen Bonsal, who visited fourteen of the concentration camps of General Weyler in Cuba, and also witnessed those established under General Bell in the Philippines, tells us that no comparison can be made between them. The Filipinos are gathered in towns, good sanitary regulations are observed, and plenty of food furnished the needy. During this time crops of the insurgents were destroyed. Of the general feeling in the Islands, Mr. Bonsal reports despairingly. While Judge Taft and the commission have done all they can, consistent with conditions, Mr. Bonsal says that “the edifice is built upon the quicksand of sedition and treason. No matter how cleverly he may build, the whole structure will be overturned some day, and not the day of our choosing. The Filipinos are against American supremacy in any shape or form.” If the advice of some true Americans had been followed, what a different tale would have been told! How many wrecks of hopes and lives would have been prevented!

Sunday Observance and the Image of the Beast

Sunday observance as a professed Christian institution—like Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and all the list of church holy days—is of Roman Catholic origin. It is the sign of Roman authority which Protestants almost universally acknowledge. The government of the United States officially acknowledged this institution in 1893, and now it has again done so by attaching a penalty of $5,000,000 to its non-observance by the St. Louis Exposition managers in 1903. Can it longer be truthfully denied that the image of Rev. 13:14, 15 has been set up? The speaking in terrible decrees, and causing the mark to be received by the people, is nigh at hand.

Good Health for January

The Good Health for January has one article worth the price of the magazine, “Baths that Can Be Given at Home,” by the editor, Dr. J. H. Kellogg. There are many other good articles besides. Price ten cents. Address Good Health Pub. Co., Battle Creek, Mich.; or better, pay $1.75 for the Signs OF THE TIMES and the Good Health for one year.