p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 4. (1/25/1910)

Earlier text: The Invisible Monarchy Becoming Visible

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Unconscious Influences

By Annie E. Nordlind

MANY times are my thoughts turned to this subject of how mothers are unconsciously weaving threads of happiness or sorrow into the lives of their precious children.

Yesterday it was again brought forcibly to my mind, and I feel compelled to give my thoughts to others.

Two little girls, each carrying a small bucket, came with their mama to my well for water. The sight pleased me, therefore I decided to let them know it. I said, "I see you have some nice little help." The little faces brightened, and smiled into mine, then looked longingly at their mother. But to my disappointment she answered, "They are more in the way than help."

At once a cloud passed over the once happy countenances, and they looked down instead of up. I was sorry I had spoken.

Why can not mothers realize what such expressions mean to the dear ones given them?

As I look back to my childhood days, among the sweetest remembrances I have, are those of my mother. When asked by strangers about her children, she would smile at us, and seem so happy to say that we were hers, instead of being ashamed of her large family. And they all grew up to honor her. My heart aches when I hear such expressions as the following, in the presence of little ones:

"How many children have you?" The answer is given in an unwilling tone.

"O dear, you surely have your hands full. How do you ever get along? Don't they drive you wild?"

Now if the mother had seemed happy over her little band, or if the first speaker had given a cheerful word, as, "You will certainly have plenty of help soon," it would have encouraged all, and especially would there have been a planting, in the little hearts, of seeds of determination to be a help, whereas only seeds of despondency were sown.

For this very reason I have heard little folk wish they had never been born.

While speaking on this subject one day, I heard a young lady remark: "Yes, I know by experience how hard it is on children to hear such things. And it is especially hard when their mother thinks them in the way."

The Bible tells us that children are the heritage of the Lord. Then why not give them the privilege of growing up in an atmosphere of being welcome and wanted?

ANNIE E. NORDLIND.

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

By Mrs. J. E. McKee

WHEN we see all the want, wo, misery, and crime caused by the licensed liquor traffic and its attendant evils, we should cry out in anguish of soul, and promise God this new year that we will reconsecrate ourselves, our churches, and all that we are and have, to the great work of overthrowing this awful traffic.

When we realize that intemperance is responsible for 5,000 suicides, 100,000 paupers, 100,000 feeble-minded, 3,000 murdered wives, 40,000 widowed mothers, 100,000 orphans, 100,000 criminals, 100,000 insane, and requires 100,000 of our noble sons, and 60,000 of our precious daughters, $2,000,000,000 of our hard-earned money, and untold sorrow and anguish, every year, can we afford to sit idly by, or gather our robes of indifference about us, and ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" If your handsome, manly son were one of that 100,000 boys, or your beautiful golden-haired daughter one of the 60,000 girls, would it be worth your while, O father, to vote as you pray? Would you, O mother, serve the sparkling wine in glittering crystal? Think on these things.

We know and realize that the evil of the liquor traffic is the greatest curse the world has ever known. It is the Alexander and Napoleon among the warriors against the good and peace of mankind. It is a thief to the purse, a destroyer of souls, the orphan's sorrow, and the widow's wo. It is the one thing that makes a knave of the knight, a fiend of the lover, a wreck of the happy home, a sad woman of the joyous bride, and starving vagabonds of the helpless little children. Were it possible to wipe out intemperance and its attendant evils, the conversion of the world would be half accomplished, and there would be a sure, solid foundation on which to build the beautiful temple of Christian character.

The church is of God, it is one of His strongholds; and shall we not marshal all His forces, and bring them up to the help of the Lord against the mighty? There is so much lost every year, every day; hearts broken, lives taken, hopes ruined, souls lost.

O, could we but have the 60,000 dear girls, and the 100,000 noble boys, who are lost every year on account of this great evil, could we but win them for God, what a rejoicing there would be in heaven. Is this vast army of souls worth working for? Yes, even one soul is worth a lifetime of effort; for who can estimate the value of a soul? Then let us strengthen God's army in every possible way to attack this stronghold of Satan that is causing more misery, poverty, and wo than all the earthquakes, conflagrations, pestilence, and war the world has ever known. It ruins the rich as well as the poor, the mighty intellect as well as the common mind.

This business can no more run without boys and girls and money and wrecked lives and ruined homes and lost souls, than various factories can run without wool, cotton, hemp, silk, etc. Do you want to furnish a loving son upon whom you have learned to look with such pride, or a pure daughter who is the sunshine of your life? Do you want them to go down among the 100,000 who are lost every year? If not, then arise in your might, let your eyes see the evil, let your ears hear the cry of the innocent, and let your tongue speak in behalf of God and home and native land.

The hope of our nation is in the boys and girls of to-day.

O, churches of the twentieth century, stand firm as the Rock of Ages, and uncompromising as truth itself, along this line. The battle is on even now, and victory will be ours; for "if God be for us, who can be against us?" Let us hold the fort until the shouts of victory shall sound from every shore, and every island of the sea echo joyous tidings. We are free. Then the children of haggard want can sit in halls of plenty, disease will be robbed of much of its power, and the dark clouds of despair will vanish like shadows from thousands of afflicted homes.

The nation stands appalled at some great earthquake or fire or cyclone disaster; but the average American citizen sits with calm indifference when confronted by the awful truth that intemperance causes the death of 103,000, and worse than the death of 160,000 more, every year.

Consider these things. Are we our brother's keeper? MRS. J. E. MCKEE. Lakewood, N. Mex.

Clandestine Correspondence

By Lutheran Observer

A MOST excellent move has been inaugurated in various city post-offices with a view to lessening the clandestine correspondence which has brought ruin to so many girls. One postmaster has demanded the true name of every one who holds a box under a fictitious

name. The postmaster of New York City has put into operation a rule by which the use of the free delivery window is limited to thirty days to any one person, and the postmaster at Washington city is seeking authority from the department to put a similar rule into effect.

An investigation which the Washington postmaster quietly conducted showed that of 1,064 letters called for by women at the free delivery window in two days, 111 bore fictitious names, eight of the letters of this latter class being called for by girls under sixteen years of age. The postmaster now requires that before letters are delivered to girls under that age, they must explain why their mail is not sent to their homes. It is well that there are some conscientious men in office, who recognize the serious responsibilities of their positions which are not mentioned in codified laws. All honor to them in their work! — Lutheran Observer.

My Adoption

By Edith Smith Casebeer

O to get close to the Saviour, to touch Him, To feel His strong hand round my weak one close pressed; O to be sure of a Saviour's forgiveness; O for a calmness of soul, and for rest.

The works of my past life, how strangely they bind me; By the cords of my own sins I feel I am held. Through the darkness, O Jesus, my hands reach to find Thee. O that I by Thy Spirit, dear Lord, might be filled.

For I am afraid of the evils around me. Everywhere is perplexity, darkness, and fear; There's no rest in this world, and I dare not go onward And cross the dark river which I feel is so near.

In Thy Word, Lord, I read of a peace that Thou givest, Of a rest unto all who are burdened with care; Unto all who need help Thou art lovingly calling. O God, help Thou me, for I come; hear my prayer.

O to be close to my Saviour! to touch Him! He tenderly folds me with love to His breast. How wonderfully sweet to feel sure of forgiveness, How good to feel calm in my soul, and to rest. EDITH SMITH CASEBEER.

Idleness Worse than Labor

The principal of a Chicago public school expresses the opinion that the agitation against child labor—taking “child” to mean a person of any age up to 14 or 16—should be more discriminative. He says:

“Four hours of school and four of work alternating will make every child self-sustaining after the age of 10 years. Society and the law have prevented the boy from getting work that really is work. Every child ought to work every day of his life. He is born into a world which requires work, and he ought not to be permitted to form habits of idleness and shirking. Child idleness is worse than child labor.”—Detroit News Tribune.

When Did You Last Read a Book?

Most of the new knowledge and all the old knowledge is from books.

When did you last read a book? Are you reading a book,—a real, solid, important knowledge-giving book, new or old? You mean to read books. You used to read books when you were young and the cares of life had not come. You read magazines and papers. Both may be necessary.

But the man and woman who read no books are cutting off growth, refusing knowledge, and living a dwarfed life. Begin on some book. It makes little difference which, as long as it is one of the books all know they ought to read, expect to read, and never have read.—Anon.

Dodging

THERE is a little girl in Chicago who can not read as yet, but she insists on having her Testament in hand like the others in family worship, and when it comes her turn to read she recites some verse which she has committed to memory, usually, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” One day she disobeyed her mother, and her father, rebuking her for it, said, “You know that the Bible says, ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord.’” Looking him straight in the face, she answered, “Well, I am not going to say that any more. I am going to say, ‘God is love.’”

She is not the only sinner in Chicago who dodges the passages that hit them hard, and tries to find refuge in some that seem to allow dodging-room.—Christian Standard.

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DATE OF EXPIRATION

By C. H. Jones

The SIGNS wrapper bears date of last issue due on your subscription. Unless renewed in advance, paper stops with expiration date.

If herewith is an order-blank, you will know you have overlooked sending renewal. You will not wish to miss a single issue. Back numbers often can not be furnished.

C. H. Jones, Circulation Manager.

Life and Health

By Editor

A PRACTICAL health journal, published with a view of meeting hygienic needs in every home; teaching how to care for the health and how to preserve life; prescribing simple home treatments to assist nature in throwing off diseases rather than adding more poison by using drugs or unnatural stimulants as remedies; teaching how to avoid disease as far as possible, how to manage in the home when sickness does come, and how to combat the disease by simple remedies which nature provides.

Send for sample copy and special rates to agents. Price 10 cents per copy or $1.00 per year.

Address, LIFE & HEALTH, Takoma Park, D.C.

LIBERTY

By Editor

THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE RELIGIOUS LIBERTY BUREAU

An illustrated, 48-page, quarterly magazine, published as an exponent and advocate of true religious liberty; defending Christianity and the rights of conscience; upholding the Bible as the infallible word of God; recognizing the church and state as ordained of Heaven for specific and distinct purposes, but vigorously protesting against the alliance of the church with the state in the attempt to advance religion and to promote the state.

Price 25 cents per year. Liberal terms to agents.

Address, LIBERTY, Takoma Park, D. C.

Our Little Friend

By Editor

An Illustrated Paper for the Smaller Men and Women, for the Children and Little Ones

Instructive and entertaining, clean, wholesome, sensible. It is a character builder, a helper to father and mother. Our Little Friend would plant seed in the joyous life of the children in the Present, that it may bear blessed fruitage in the Harvest of the Future. Respect your child's individuality. Take the paper for him or her. Only 60 cents a year.

Address, OUR LITTLE FRIEND Mountain View, Cal.

The Remedy Here and Now

By Editor

The "Christian Advocate" well says: "Many who have dabbled in Spiritualism have lost their senses, more their religion, still more their reputation, many their morals, a great number their money, and a multitude their domestic peace." And the whole cult is built upon an error held by most of Christendom; namely, the unbiblical, unscientific belief that the soul is immortal, and that man is conscious in death.

The Remedy Here and Now

It is not a pleasant thing to contemplate the downward drift in church and state. It is not pleasant to point out the increasing evidences of decay, disintegration, and ruin of different phases of this old world's social and civil fabrics. But he indeed is blind who can not see them, and he is false to his trust who will not lift warning voice. It is an "optimism" worse than death which will drift on in the swift current and ignore the cataract just ahead.

Nor are we pessimistic in the giving of the message. It is the Creator of the world who has said, "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." The message of God reveals the remedy, the Creative power of the Gospel of God, the coming of His Christ, the restoration of all things. But that we, friends, one and all ("for God is no respecter of persons), may have part in that glad forever, the human restoration, the re-creation, must be effected now. Character creation must be wrought here. Christ is ready to do it for us. Our need demands it. Shall we submit to His power?

From January 1, 1905, to January 1, 1909, the seven principal nations of the world, United States, England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Russia, have spent one thousand million dollars on their navies alone, the News Letter declares; and besides, untold sums for the maintenance of their armies, new inventions in arms, and fortifications, etc. And it asks, "Could any one compute the total cost in money?" And yet it feels that the world could not be governed otherwise. It truly says, "On earth peace, good-will toward men, is an ideal, not a real condition of existence in this world." In which it sees a great deal further than do many religious journals.

The Near Future

Our next two numbers continue the subject considered in the present issue. Some of the questions answered Biblically will be

What Is the Meaning of the Third Angel's Message of Rev. 14:9-11? What Are the Beast and Its Image? What Is the Two-Horned Beast of Rev. 13:11-17? What Is the Mark of the Beast?

These and other great questions will be presented in our next two issues.

We have received from various sources a clipping concerning a wonderful discovery; namely, that the ages of the antediluvians were reckoned by months instead of by years, so that Methuselah, who died at the age of 969, would be only about 79 years of age. Adam is said to have died at about 75 years of age. This has been published over and over and over by various newspapers throughout the country. If a little thought had been given to it, the nonsense of the discovery would have been seen. The record states, for instance, that the same Adam who lived 930 years, begot a son when he was 130 years of age. If the antediluvian year meant our month, Adam was only about 10 years of age at that time. It is said that Enos lived 90 years and begot Cainan; therefore according to this wonderful discovery and calculation, when Enos's first son was born, the father was between seven and eight years of age. Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years and begot Jared, which according to this wonderful discovery would make Mahalaleel, when his first son was born, between five and six years of age. So also with Enoch when Methuselah was born. No careful Biblical reader has, we are sure, taken it seriously.

Among the most wonderful inventions of the last year may be noted England's "torpedo with a brain." There is still some question about it, but it is said to be a success. It picks up sound and tracks it down. A microphone is connected with the torpedo, and when the torpedo gets near the ship it picks up the sound of the rudders or propellers in such a way that it will follow an enemy's vessel until it reaches it and explodes. It is said that it can be so adjusted as to strike several yards to the right or the left. If such an invention as that is a success it will completely revolutionize naval warfare. Every big ship will have to carry a great net around it.

The number of divorces granted in this country in 1867 was 9,037. Forty years later, in 1906, the number was 72,062; a percentage increase of from twenty-eight to seventy-three per one hundred thousand of the population. The rate of increase was nearly three times, and the rate has been growing in even greater proportion during the last half dozen years. The only country on earth which leads America in this respect is Japan. The highest country in Europe, Switzerland, has less than one half our proportion.

The "Western Watchman" of December 2 notes with a great deal of satisfaction that President Taft, Vice-president Sherman, and all the cabinet attended the ten o'clock service in St. Matthew's Church (Catholic), Washington, on Thanksgiving Day. "On that day and hour bigotry was declared officially dead in the United States." We wonder if the Watchman would have printed that last sentence if there had been a Catholic President and cabinet attending some Methodist, or Baptist, or other Protestant church in Washington.

Growing out of the disagreements between Secretary Ballinger of the Interior, and Mr. Pinchot, chief forester, appointed by President Roosevelt, Mr. Pinchot has been dismissed by President Taft. Growing out also of this trouble, a joint committee of Senate and House have been appointed to investigate the matter. The "insurgent" Republicans in the House, aided by the Democrats, have refused to let Speaker Cannon appoint this committee, but have taken it in their own hands, and defeated the friends of the speaker. What the outcome of the struggle will be we do not know at this present writing.

Mr. William Randolph Hearst has made a strong appeal to the powers of the world for peace, the reduction of armament, etc. Mr. Stead says that while this arouses admiration, the powers of Europe are skeptical. He says, "Those of us who were present from first to last at The Hague Conference are not sanguine of any immediate result as likely to accrue from Mr. Hearst's appeal." Each of the great powers prefers to trust itself, evidently rather than a peace congress, professions of rival powers, or a world court of arbitration.

Some time ago we referred to munificence in Montreal. A commission was appointed to investigate the charge brought against the civic government of that city; and the report of Judge Cannon, the commissioner, according to the London Times reveals a serious situation in the Canadian metropolis. For some years twenty-five per cent of the annual revenue of one million pounds has been squandered in bribes to commissioners. But Montreal is like many other cities.

Dr. Armstrong, of New York City, a regular physician, claims that he can cure malign cancer in five months, and that his treatment has been successful in thirty-six out of thirty-nine cases. This cure he will make known to the profession. He does not use the knife. His treatment consists of an outwardly applied lotion and internal medicine. We hope his claim is true.

The California Promotion Committee has been merged with the California State Board of Trade and the Manufacturers and Producers Association. Mr. Rufus P. Jennings, the effective head of the Promotion Committee, has of course resigned, but will be one of the board of directors of the new merger.

On December 17, Lloyd's Insurance Company of England gave up the Australian liner Warath as lost, with its 300 on board; and insurance claims to the amount of $1,250,000 were paid. The steamer has been missing since July.

Since our last issue, Cardinal Satolli, the famous Roman Catholic prelate, has passed away, dying in Rome, January 8. He was the first apostolic delegate to America sent by Pope Leo XIII.

January 29 to February 5 there will be a magnificent electrical display in San Francisco. Those who are interested in electricity will want to visit the great show at the Coliseum.

Mississippi has chosen Col. James Gordon as U. S. Senator to fill the vacancy made by the death of Senator Anselm G. Laurin.