p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 47. (11/29/1910)

Earlier text: Shiloh: the Man of Sorrows

It Is a Fact

By Editor

THAT the December number of the Signs of the Times Monthly is now ready for mailing.

THAT it presents new and interesting thoughts on the Christmas festival, on the subjects of Catholicism and Protestantism, the Second Coming of our Lord, Christ the End of the Law, Astronomy, the use of narcotics, Missions, and a consideration from a Bible standpoint of those current topics which are commanding more than ordinary attention.

THAT we are offering the November and December numbers free with all 1911 yearly subscriptions at $1.00.

THAT our agents continue to do successful work in selling this magazine, many of them disposing of hundreds of copies each month.

THAT some of these agents devote but a few hours a week to the work, but manage to earn considerable, for every copy sold nets them a profit of five or six cents.

THAT these agents have a purpose in doing this work which is higher than the mere earning of money. They are endeavoring to win souls to God and His truth.

THAT we want others to help in this good work.

THAT the cost of these magazines to agents is but four cents per copy on quantities of fifty or more of a single edition, and five cents per copy for five to forty copies.

THAT further information may be obtained from us, tho all orders should be sent through your Tract Society.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES Mountain View, Cal.

Automobile Extravagance

Automobile Extravagance.—Perhaps in nothing outside of women's fashions has extravagance found more expensive indulgence than in the purchase of automobiles during the last five years in this country. For instance in 1905 there were 101 manufacturing concerns; in 1910 there are 280. In 1905 there were made 28,400 cars of the value of $56,000,000; in 1910 there were made 185,000 cars, valued at $240,000,000. The capital invested in 1905 was $23,000,000; in 1910 it is $175,000,000. In 1905 there were employed in manufacturing autos, in trades supplying parts of cars, in selling, etc., deriving direct benefit from the auto business, 77,800 persons; in 1910, 1,685,600 persons. Of these employed by auto manufacturers in 1905 there were 15,000; in 1910, 140,000. The cars sold in the last five years are of the estimated value of $490,000,000. In many cases the car is without doubt a great boon and benefit. In many, many cases it is a matter of sheer extravagance, oftentimes purchased by mortgaging a home.

In Our Next Issue

By Editor

You will want to read the following: The Master's Coming to His Own and What It Means, Bible Temperance, The Messages of Christ to the Churches in Smyrna and Pergamos, Our London Letter, and many more good things too numerous to mention.

Infantile Paralysis

Infantile Paralysis.—John B. Huber, M.D., in the November Review of Reviews tells us that infantile paralysis is a menace. There was an outbreak in New Orleans in 1841, "but it was otherwise not especially noted until the beginning of the present century." But since 1903 there have been several epidemics. The disease is infectious. It is thus described by Doctors Chapin and Pisch: "An acute inflammatory process taking place in the anterior horns of the spinal cord, accompanied by a sudden and complete paralysis of various groups of voluntary muscles, followed by a rapid wasting of the affected muscles." Eight to fifteen per cent of the patients die, and seventy-five per cent of those who survive are more or less crippled for life. The scientific term for the disease is "poliomyelitis," from polio, gray, myel, marrow, itis, inflammation,—a name given when the substance of the spinal cord was supposed to be marrow.

Germany in Old Babylonia.—

A despatch from Constantinople to the New York World, dated November 5, indicates that Germany is diplomatically supreme in Turkish affairs. Not long ago Germany was granted the privilege of building a railway clear through the Euphrates Valley to the Persian Gulf, with authority to police it six miles on each side. England is endeavoring to prevent this unless the railroad is made international. The despatch above noted makes reference to this as follows:

"If an international crisis does not arise out of developments in the Anglo-Russian policy against Germany in Persia it may be precipitated by the antagonism between England and Germany over the question of completing the Euphrates Valley railway."

God Ever Near

"Out of sight, out of mind," is an old proverb the truth of which is demonstrated every day. It enters the religious life. We can not see God with the naked eye, we do not hear His audible voice speaking to us, we do not feel His actual touch; therefore He is forgotten. Yet is He ever near, and the keen eye can see evidences of His nearness, the attuned ear can hear His voice, and the burdened, shrinking soul can feel His strengthening, assuring touch.

Christian Citizenship Conference

By Editor

The World's Christian Citizenship Conference began its sittings in Philadelphia November 16. We have not at the time of going to press heard from the meeting. In general we know its object; that has been set before our readers by Mr. Martin, the general superintendent. That object is world control. They call it for Christ, but it is not Christ's method they are using. Our Lord had no connection with politics.

Against Freemasonry

Against Freemasonry.—A Catholic writer of Rome, Italy, declares: "We must act against Freemasonry as it has acted against Catholicity; to make use of everything to bring about its downfall, and to lose no occasion of crushing it."—Western Watchman, Nov. 3, 1910.

—★—

Religious Legislation in California

A greater menace to California than the Southern Pacific, than the tariff, than crop failure, than a dozen other things which harass and threaten, is religious legislation. It has within it all the potencies of evil.

—★—

University Students Strike Over Hazing

Because seventeen students were suspended by the faculty of the state university of Boulder, Colorado, for hazing, the entire student body, numbering more than 500, went on a strike, and the class rooms were deserted.

Methodist Appropriations Exceed Four Million

Appropriations to be made by the administrative boards of the Methodist Episcopal Church will aggregate more than $4,000,000.

Encyclopædia Britannica Dedicated to Leaders

The new "Encyclopædia Britannica," published by Cambridge University, has dedicated the new edition to King George and to the President of the United States.

Revolt Feared in Turkey

A revolt to overthrow the sultan of Turkey, Mohammed V, and reinstate Abdul Hamid, is feared. Cabinet members, who recently resigned, openly favor former sultan Abdul Hamid.

Important Articles in Good Health

By Editor

The "Good Health" for November has two vitally important articles: "The Public Drinking Cup," by Prof. Alvin Davison, of Lafayette College; "Fighting the Drug Habit," by P. Harvey Middleton.

The Sabbath Rest From Sin

The rest of the Sabbath is not mere physical rest, but rest of the heart from sin. Keeping the Sabbath is not keeping Saturday. It is the observance of the seventh day in accordance with the law of God. It is knowing God as Creator and Redeemer,—Redeemer because Creator.

Fastest Cross-Country Biplane Flight

The fastest cross-country biplane flying was made by Phil O. Parmalee, in a Wright aeroplane, when he flew from Dayton, Ohio, direct to Columbus. The air-line distance of 65 miles was flown in 66 minutes. He flew to a height of 3,000 feet, and carried $1,000 worth of silk for a dry-goods firm.

The Church Federation Movement

Mr. A. T. Jones presented in Mountain View, November 15, in clear outline and lucid argument, the sins and dangers of the Church Federation movement in America. He spoke to an outdoor audience on Castro Street, and tho the evening was cold a goodly number listened with attention. He is doing this work throughout the United States.

Revolution in Portugal

By Editor

Revolution in Portugal.—The Western Watchman's Rome correspondent speaks of Masonry in Portugal "rejoicing supreme among rivers of blood and heaps of human bodies." This seems greatly exaggerated. The revolution seems to have been very quiet. When the strife was at its greatest, it is reported that very much firing was from convents. The religious expelled from Portugal are forbidden by the Italian government to enter Italy.

An Elephant Detects a Thief

Surely elephants know something. The New York Telegram tells us that the other day a lady was standing before the elephant-house in the Zoo, New York City, while they were feeding the large elephant Sultana, when suddenly she gripped the woman's wrist so strongly that the woman screamed; then looking down to her hand-bag that she was holding in that hand, she saw it open, and a man exploring its contents. She grasped the stranger's hand, whereupon the elephant released her hold upon her wrist. The crowd surrounded the man, and he was arrested.

Another Fate

Another Fate.— We have been told with much assurance that the end of our earth, and of the solar system, and of the whole sidereal universe, was death by freezing. Moons would wax old, suns grow cold, and all life upon earth would perish. Others have told us that in our journey through space we were bound sooner or later to come into collision with a comet or sun or some other body, and be burned up in the twinkling of an eye. Now there is another theory, and that is that the whole earth is radio-active, and that as a consequence it will sometime vanish away, dissipate like the deacon's "on hoss shay" which "went to pieces all at once," "just as bubbles do when they burst." But we are cheeringly told that it will not happen in our days or in the days of our children. In view of human uncertainties, it might be well to believe the Old Book: "The earth abideth forever."

A 29,000-Ton Battle-Ship.

That is what the United States is planning to build, a monster oil-burning Dreadnought, with internal combustion engines. This is a much bigger ship than its tonnage seems to indicate; for it will do away with the great boilers and engines and coal-bunkers of the old class, and give much more room. It will carry bigger guns, and will not need so many men. It will be a far more powerful and effective battle-ship than the present type.

—★—