p. 256 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 16. (4/20/1888)

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.
1. Religious Legislation,	8
2. Religious Liberty,	8
3. National Reform and the Rights of Conscience,	16
4. The American Papacy,	16
5. Bold and Base Avowal,	16
6. National Reform is Church and State,	16
7. Purity of National Religion,	8
8. The Salem Witchcraft,	8
9. What Think Ye of Christ?,	8
10. National Reformed Constitution and the American Hierarchy,	24
11. The Republic of Israel,	8
12. National Reformed Presbyterianism,	32
13. The National Reform Movement an Absurdity,	13

The above package will be sent post-paid to any address for twenty cents. Address, AMERICAN SENTINEL, Oakland, Cal.

Liberty in Obedience

THERE are few words more abused than the word “liberty.” Charlotte Corday exclaimed, when on the way to the guillotine, “Oh liberty, how many crimes are committed in thy name!” And true it is; for most of the so-called liberty of the present age, or of any age, is sin. Men think that the throwing off of restraint is liberty. They chafe against the restrictions of the law, and think to find liberty by breaking through these restraints. But when they find themselves behind prison bars, they learn that liberty is found only in obedience. Said David: “I will walk at liberty; for I seek thy precepts.” Ps. 119:45. The law of God is the will of God. It is that by which the universe is governed. It is as pure as God himself, and as boundless as God’s infinity. Within its just and mild sanctions, there is room for the largest freedom of action. It comprises all the thought and actions of God. What larger scope could one want? It will eventually give the one who walks in it here, the freedom of the universe of God; while on the other hand, the transgressor is always in bondage here, and will at last be deprived not only of liberty, but of life itself. There never was a greater mistake than for a man to think that he could find liberty in having his own way in opposition to the law of God. Far better would it be to make God’s way our way. The grace of God can, if a man will allow it to, so transform him that his highest enjoyment and pleasure will be found in keeping the commandments of God.

SABBATH, APRIL 7, AT HEALDSBURG.

By Alonzo T. Jones

SABBATH, April 7, was a memorable day in the experience of the Healdsburg church. After a discourse at 11 A. M., on the "Nature and Obligations of Baptism," nine precious and happy souls were buried by baptism into the death of Christ, and raised again to walk in newness of life. All but one of these were beginners in the Christian life, five of them being from among the students at the Students' Home. The baptismal scene was one of the most beautiful and most impressive that I ever attended. At 4:30 P. M. we met again, when to those who had been baptized in the forenoon was extended by the church the right hand of fellowship, and the ordinances of the Lord's house were celebrated. This brought us near to the close of the Sabbath, and the remaining half-hour was spent in a praise meeting. The testimonies of praise and gratitude to God were given rapidly and gladly, nearly all pronouncing it the happiest day of their lives, and it was expressed so feelingly that there was no room to doubt that it was so. From the exercises of the Sabbath-school in the morning to the praise meeting at the going down of the sun, the blessing of the Lord seemed only to accumulate with each succeeding service. And it is only the expression of devout thankfulness for me to say that the day was fuller of the blessing of God and the true joy in the Holy Spirit than any other in all my experience. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

ALONZO T. JONES.

The Signs of the Times.

By Editor

OAKLAND, CAL., SIXTH-DAY, APRIL 20, 1888.

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.

CAMP-MEETINGS FOR 1888.

KANSAS, Emporia, May 22-29 NEVADA, Reno, May 24 to June 4 IOWA, “ 26 “ 5 UPPER COLUMBIA, “ 30 “ 5 MINNESOTA, June 5-12 PENNSYLVANIA, “ 6-12 NORTH PACIFIC, “ 6-13 WISCONSIN, “ 12-19 DAKOTA, “ 19-26 CANADA, June 28 to July 3

BOTH SIDES STATED.

By Editor

SINCE considerable interest has been aroused over the moon in February, 1866, we give our readers the following interesting facts in detail, as they were kindly furnished us by our friend, Charles Burckhalter, of Chabot Observatory:—

"EDITOR SIGNS: Perhaps you have said all you wish to in the SIGNS about the full moon in February, 1866, but as there are, most decidedly, two sides to this question, I will give both and begin by saying that both sides are right.

"The phases of the moon for February, 1866, for Greenwich mean time were as follows:—

	Day.	Hour.	Minute.
Last quarter	7	7	39.3
New moon	14	22	12.7
First quarter	21	16	47.9
Full moon	28	23	52.3

"As all English-speaking nations follow England in assuming the day to begin at the point opposite, or 180 degrees from Greenwich, then, February had still 7 minutes and 42 seconds to run, after the instant of full moon, and Greenwich had a full moon for just that length of time, while here in the city of Oakland, at that particular point where the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is printed, we had 8 hours, 16 minutes, 48 seconds. To points situated east of Greenwich more than 7 minutes and 42 seconds (in time) round to a point 7 minutes and 42 seconds east of the 180° of longitude, it was not February 28 but March 1.

"The principal countries where there was no full moon in February, 1866, were part of France, all of Prussia, Russia, Turkey, Arabia, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the greater part of Africa. While both the Americas, Greenland, and a very small portion of Asia had a full moon."

LIBERTY.

By John Norton Loughborough

SAYS the apostle, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." This text is often given a very narrow application. Almost everybody has heard the leader of a prayer-meeting urge the people to be free to take part, by saying that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, meaning freedom to pray or bear testimony. This is no doubt true, yet only in a secondary sense. What the apostle means is that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom from sin. It is the same as in Gal. 5:18: "But if ye be led of the Spirit ye are not under the law." There can be no condemnation to one who is walking in the Spirit, and in whose life its fruits are manifested. The law of God is spiritual; the man who transgresses it, grieves the Holy Spirit, and falls into condemnation; he is in bondage; but when he repents and walks in the law, the peace of God comes into his heart, and the Spirit bears witness with his spirit that he is no more a servant, but a son, and if a son then an heir of God through Christ. Of course the natural result will be that the man's heart should be filled with praise, and that he should be eager to give utterance to it on every proper occasion.

In these days of servile homage to everything which smacks of Catholicism or ritualism, it is refreshing to find once in a while the ridiculousness of such a course set forth, as in the following extract from the Christian at Work:—

"A new ritualistic magazine published in London, gives the world the important information that the 'cloke' which St. Paul mentions to Timothy as having left behind at Troas was his Eucharistic vestment or chasuble, and the 'parchments' his copy of the liturgy. It has generally been supposed that Paul's cloak was the ordinary cloak worn at that time, which he needed in that damp Roman atmosphere to keep him warm, and that his parchments meant parchments on which to write sundry epistles (see Gal. 6:18; Eph. 6:24; Phil. 4:23; Col. 4:18; Philemon 5:25). But we live and learn. And so hereafter shall we be obliged to read—'And him that taketh away thy chasuble, forbid not to take thy surplice also'? Luke 6:29. And if 'parchments' is to be read 'copy of the liturgy,' why should we not for 'book' read 'Book of Common Prayer,' e.g., 'I saw another mighty angel . . . and he had in his hand a little Book of Common Prayer open'? Rev. 10:1, 2. Why not?"

WHILE in the State of Nevada a few weeks since, I learned, by consultation with our leading brethren there, that it was the desire of our people in that State that the camp-meeting be held in the city of Reno, from Thursday evening, May 24, to Monday morning, June 4. We accordingly give notice that the meeting will be held at that date, at Reno. More particulars hereafter.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, President California Conference.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS.

By Anna L. Ingels

HEREAFTER, all business with the California T. and M. Society should be addressed to me as formerly, at Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal. ANNA L. INGELS, Sec.

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

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

No Paper Issued Next Week

By Editor

THERE will be no paper issued next week. The next number of the SIGNS of THE TIMES, No. 17, will be dated May 4. For this reason we publish two Sabbath-school lessons in this number.

Huxley Investigates Spiritualism

By Editor

It is announced that Professor Huxley is making inquiries into the phenomena of Spiritualism, with a view to elucidate all there is in it. We shall await with interest the result of his investigations, not because we have any doubt as to the origin of those phenomena, but because Professor Huxley is doubtless an unbiased investigator, and his report will influence many people.

Oxford Bible Catalogue

By Editor

The Pacific Press has just issued a new sixteen-page, illustrated catalogue of Oxford Teachers' and Reference Bibles, also of Apocryphas and helps to the study of the Bible. They have a large stock and a fine assortment of Oxford Bibles, ranging in price from one dollar to sixteen dollars, and no one can fail to find what will suit him. Send for catalogue. Address Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal.

Dried Fruit for Australian Mission

By Editor

Elder G. C. Tenney and family will sail on the Zelandia for Australia May 3. We are informed that fruit is exceedingly dear in that country; and if any of our brethren and sisters have dried fruit which they would be glad to donate to the mission for the benefit of the faithful laborers there, we are certain that it would be highly appreciated. Any such can bring the fruit with them when they come to the Oakland meeting.

Catholic Ascendancy in America

By Editor

Instances of the ascendancy of Catholicism in this country, are multiplying with startling rapidity. The latest thing is the news that the mayor of Boston ordered the public library to be closed on St. Patrick's day, and the Chicago Board of Education ordered the public schools of that city to be closed on Good Friday. The Advance rightly says that in each case the action was a public impertinence; but if the people were not so generally imbued with the dread of appearing bigoted by opposing Catholic presumption, such impertinence could not be indulged in. Such servility is not only disgusting, but it is alarming.