p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 49.

Earlier text: The Coming Again of Jesus Christ

Work and Idleness.

Two men have arrived at a railway station some time before the train. One will do nothing, or only fret and fume; the other will employ the interval in studying human nature, enter into a profitable conversation, or try to learn something from the contents of the book-stall.

In the same number of years the second class of man will live twice as long as the first, because he will do twice as much with his time. How much more energy would we have for good work if we wasted less of it in foolish anger, useless repining, envy, hatred, and all uncharitableness!

Then, many of us would work with far more spirit if greater variety could be introduced into our work. Change of work is as good as rest.

Pity that the manual and intellectual work of the world should be confined to separate classes of people instead of being divided among all! Why should some have their bodies worn out by overwork, and others their minds, when if the work were divided there would be just enough for the healthy and pleasurable exercise of all the faculties of both parties?

Every boy, however high his social position may be, should be taught a handicraft.

It is all very well for him to "manipulate his feet" well, as an Irish reporter wrote, at football, but would it not be better for him to learn to do useful work with his hands?

Five or six hours' reading or other intellectual work is as much as most men can do with profit in one day, and this leaves them plenty of time for using their hands.

Many are discontented with the name of idler who are nevertheless content to do worse than nothing. Of course, when it is said that every man should work, we mean that he should do good and useful work.——Selected.

The Building of a Home

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Acquaintance and Friendship—Proprieties.

WE all remember the quaint proverb about "birds of a feather," and we must acknowledge that it is generally true that "a man is known by the company he keeps." Yet if this were always true, without exception, and if men and women must always be governed by this principle, our old world would be robbed of much that makes life beautiful. Where would be the Florence Nightingales and the Clara Bartons, and all that noble army of devoted men and women who, leaving their pleasant homes and warm firesides, go out into the highways and hedges to seek and to save the lost?

The proud and bigoted Pharisees complained loudly at the Sinless Man because He ate "with publicans and sinners."

Shame on the exclusiveness and conservatism which talks about "our set," and refuses to associate on terms of equality with those whom fortune has denied as long a purse or as fine a dress as their own! Shame, I say, on those white-skinned heathen who call themselves "Christian," and yet talk about class distinction, and set themselves upon a pedestal above and out of the reach of those "common people" who heard the Master gladly.

What is the difference between these people and their darker skinned brothers on the other side of the water, who talk loudly about "caste"?—The only practical difference is the color of their skin; both are alike displeasing in the eyes of Him who is no respecter of persons and who "formeth their hearts alike."

"Well," says one, "I have no patience with the snobbishness which scorns the poor because of his poverty. Now I am not like that; as long as a person is intellectual, as long as he is well-read and well-bred, if he can converse intelligently, in short, if he is bright, I don't care how poor he is, he's just as good as I am, and I wouldn't slight him or look down on him for anything."

How virtuous you are, indeed, my friend!—No; you are every whit as exclusive and every whit as culpable as the man who haughtily turns away from the humble day-laborer clad in his workman's clothes, or the woman who disdainfully gathers the skirts of her costly robe closer about her lest they come in contact with the coarse garment of her humble neighbor. So you are willing to treat a man as a brother and an equal if he is only "bright" enough! Ah, me; the vanity of us poor, groveling worms of the dust! How "bright" do you suppose we frail, puny creatures, creeping about on the surface of this little globe, appear—even the best of us—in the eyes of those heavenly beings before whom the iron-hearted Roman guard fell as dead men? Is the reflection a pleasing one?

"But there are particular friendships," you say, "and there are certain proprieties to be observed."

Indeed, you are right. Already I imagine I can see some ultra-sensitive little woman begin to breathe easier after this admission on my part. And I repeat: There are particular friendships—and that is right. We are not all dispositioned alike. Some of us are loving and sensitive and tender, and some of us, alas and alas, seem to have the skin of a rhinoceros, or at least to have been cast in a coarser mold than our brethren.

We always know where to look for John the Beloved, and we never fail to find him not far from the Master, generally leaning upon His bosom. Blessed friendship! sacred relationship! And we never read any instance of the Master's reproving him for this intimacy, or of sending him away; no, and he was known as "that disciple whom Jesus loved." But had He no tender regard for the others?

Lazarus was another of those intimate friends of the Master's; Martha and Mary were still others. But that did not exclude all the rest from freely sharing in that wonderful love which embraced the whole sin-sick world; it did not exclude Judas from mingling freely with the chosen twelve, nor prevent the blessed Master from washing the feet of a traitor.

And so, because we have our particular friendships and our "dearly loved," we need not become so exclusive as to hide ourselves from all others or hold ourselves aloof from those to whom we consider ourselves intellectually superior; for "what hast thou that thou didst not receive?"

Did you ever stop to think how wide was the gulf which separated the divine Nazarene, with His godlike wisdom, His incomparable keenness of vision and judgment, His wonderful conversational powers, His divine foresight, and His matchless courage, which feared not even the wrath of a Caesar—did you ever realize how wide was the gulf that separated this Man from those humble fishermen whom He chose as His companions?

And yet, O thank God, and yet love, matchless, infinite love, bridged the gulf!

Then there are the proprieties of life to be observed. Yes, the Master Himself did that, and so must we. How inappropriate and improper it is for a young woman to manifest an undue familiarity toward strangers, especially toward men. What a rare jewel is genuine modesty—I had almost said, old-fashioned bashfulness. But this need be no hindrance to her in ministering to any one who is in distress—the unfortunate, the sick, the desponding, or the aged; for even thus did the Master.

Finally, as an appropriate and beautiful conclusion, let me quote the words of the poet:

"Upon thy mother's breast, a new-born child, Thou laidst, and wept when all around thee smiled; So live that, sinking in thy last long sleep, Thou mayest smile while all around thee weep."

Early Companionships.

It is best for our children, on thru boyhood and girlhood, to find their development and pleasure along the lines of the early relationships; devotion to father and mother, affectionate loyalty to brothers and sisters, delightful friendships with family relations, and courteous loving-kindness to neighbors and friends. If our sons and daughters are led away from these things into early love affairs and early marriages, they will never have a high view of the great relationships

of life; they will enter upon home life unprepared, unripe, soft, and are apt to bring up families like unto themselves. Some children seem to inherit a passion for early love-making from foolish parents, and many are led to think too early of these things by silly fathers and mothers and other bad friends teasing them about beaux and sweethearts.

How can we lead our children thru a pure and happy childhood to wait patiently for the years when they can wisely select their life companions?

First, by training them well in the natural relationships in the home, in the church, and in society.

Restrain them from companionship with the empty, silly set that giggles and plays with love-making.

Teach them that marriage is not the first concern in life; that it is desirable only when entered into wisely, and with the best person in the world.

Fill their hearts with noble plans about their education and work that will make life very busy and happy, and lead them to prepare carefully and wait patiently for the best things of life.—Home Sweet Home.

Thoughts on Good Form

(From Mrs. S. M. I. Henry's Book, "Good Form.")

"Keeping Company."

IN the social world, where good form is as binding as the Decalogue is to the Christian, fathers and mothers have made it impossible for a young woman to think of entertaining her young man friend shut away alone with him. Strange to say, it has been the modest home, the Christian parent, who has allowed Satan to set this trap for unwary feet by leaving the young daughter, without one word of instruction, to entertain some young man, perhaps a stranger, who passed as her lover, shut away in the "parlor," while everybody was given to understand that no one must disturb the mysterious solemnities of "keeping company," even if they should continue into the small hours. And as a result of the disregard of simple good form, which is as a fence against recognized danger, untold sin and sorrow have resulted.

Hand-shaking.

"GOOD FORM" toned down from the extreme rigidity of the social world, so as to meet the requirements of ordinary Christian intercourse, would teach that the hand-shake should be just what its name indicates—a clasp, a shake, and then a drop. Teach your son that he should never place any lady in the embarrassing position of having her hand crushed or held one second; for if she has been properly taught, she will be sure that he is either ignorant, careless, or ungentlemanly in so doing; and if she is herself ignorant and careless, if she is weak enough to allow her hand to be held, she is in a condition where she needs to be protected from herself; and your son should be able to be that protector.

Teach your daughter that if any man clings to her fingers when she has given him her hand in friendly, cordial fashion, if he takes the liberty of placing his other hand under her elbow, or taking hold of her arm, that it is her privilege and duty to teach him that he has committed a breach of good manners by withdrawing her hand, forcibly if she must, and stepping out of his reach. And any young man who is worthy of her friendship will in his heart thank her for the rebuke, and profit by it.

Many a boy who has grown up in a family of sisters, and among their friends, has, in going out into the world, had to suffer over and over such tortures of chagrin and shame as were almost unendurable before he could learn those little things in "good form" which should have been taught him by precept and example in his home from childhood; and, for a lack of right teaching in this "hand-to-hand" relation, many a boy has been taken captive by shameless women, simply because he practised in the wider and more wicked world the free habits which were common in the neighborhood life at home, which, while neither right nor safe there, were not absolutely dangerous, because each knew everybody, and all were held in respectability by the short rein of close social relations.

Kissing.

ONE girl came to me, her face suffused with blushes, but with a determined expression about her mouth, and said:

"I am going to ask you something right out plain, because I think you will not laugh. I've never dared ask anybody yet, because everybody always laughs in such a mean way if you try to find out anything about such things; and I'd like to know how girls are going to know just what to do. Now it's just this way: I am going with Charlie, and he is a nice boy; he wants to do what is right, I know he does, but all the boys have such queer ideas about their 'right.' When he takes me home from church or any place—and I've just got so I dread to have him; and sometimes I think I won't go with another boy as long as I live, because, you see, when I go to say 'Good night,' he—he thinks I am so queer because I won't let him kiss me. But I won't; I never let anybody but my own folks. I don't like it; I don't think it's nice to do that way unless it's somebody you're sure of, and love very much. He says I'm queer; and he gets provoked, and says it's his right, if he goes with me. Now I want to know—is it?"

"No; it is not," I said, positively, and perhaps with a little flavor of indignation. "And no properly instructed young man

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The Proper Place of the Kiss

would make such a claim. He is not to blame of course,” I added more mildly, “for he is young, too; but your instincts are all right; they are true; they are of God who made the kiss, and gave it its own place in common, human language. It belongs to the home, and to the purest Christian fellowship between man and man; woman and woman; to society, never.”

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Influence of Association.

THE tree-frog acquires the color of whatever it adheres to for a short time. If it be found on the oak, it is a brown color; on the sycamore or cedar, it is of a whitish-brown color; but when found on the growing corn, it is sure to be green. So a man is sure to be influenced by those with whom he associates. "Be not deceived: evil companionships corrupt good morals. Awake to soberness righteously, and sin not, for some have no knowledge of God." 1 Cor. 15: 33, 34.

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The Sure Word of Prophecy.
Prophetic History of the World.
Second Coming of Christ.
Signs of Our Times.
The Sanctuary.
The 2,300 Days.
The Law of God.
The Sabbath of the Bible.
The First Day in the Bible.
Who Changed the Sabbath?
The Great Threefold Message.
The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast.
Church and State.
Life and Immortality.
The Great Judgment Day.
The Home of the Saved.

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Our Bible Band.

THERE have been many favorable responses to our Bible Band, but there should be thousands where there are now hundreds.

Our conditions are very simple. While all the readers of the SIGNS will to a greater or less extent get the benefit of suggestions, yet those who belong to the Band will or can receive special help. Let us state conditions again:

1. To defray expenses of extra work and printing of cards we will ask all members to pay ten cents. That entitles to them first place in all questions which can be answered in the SIGNS, and prompt answer by mail if a two-cent stamp is enclosed. We ask those not Band members to enclose ten cents for all letters asking questions to be answered by mail. Correspondence is so large, looking up answers to questions often entails so much time, that we can not afford, for the sake of the paper and its interests, to do it for less. We make no profit in this. If those outside the Band desire questions answered thru the paper, let them enclose two-cent stamp. Let us repeat it: All Band members pay ten cents for the year with the privilege of having all proper questions answered thru the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. All questions desiring answer by mail by Band members should enclose two-cent stamp.

All outside of Band sending questions to be answered thru the paper, two cents for each time; all questioners desiring answer by letter should enclose ten cents. We can give no assurance of reply unless these reasonable conditions are complied with.

2. To each Bible Band member will be issued a card with number, name, and signature of editor, and we shall give help to each one as far as we are able.

3. One of the chief benefits to be derived is to associate yourselves with others for the purpose of reading the Bible thru. Starting alone, many will fail. Starting with others, there are all the encouragements of companionship.

4. We shall begin with the year 1908, suggesting three chapters for each week-day and five for Sabbaths.* This will complete the Bible in one year with four days to spare. These will be made up by divisions of very long chapters.

5. We shall begin with Genesis, with a psalm for each day for devotional reading, thru the Pentateuch and historical books. After the Psalms the Gospels will be used.

6. The lesson will be announced from week to week thru the paper as follows:

Date	Day of Week	Scriptures
January 1	Wednesday	Genesis 1, 2 — Psalm 1
" 2	Thursday	" 3, 4 " 2
" 3	Friday	" 5, 6 " 3
" 4	Sabbath	" 7 - 10 " 4
" 5	Sunday	" 11, 12 " 5
" 6	Monday	" 13, 14 " 6
" 7	Tuesday	" 15, 16 " 7

7. Analysis of each book will be given as we reach it, as well as a synopsis of each lesson scripture. These will be published before we begin the reading. Suggestive helps will also be given from time to time.

The first reading-lesson outline will be given in the SIGNS of December 25. How many will join us? How many will take the journey thru the rich and fertile Scripture fields? Let us hear from you at once.

Our Next Issue.

By Editor

Articles on "Christian Science."

1. THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES will publish the first of a series of five or six articles by Elder R. A. Underwood, of Minneapolis, under the general head, "Examination of Christian Science in the Light of Reason and Revelation." These articles aim to institute a faithful comparison between the teachings of Mrs. Eddy and the word of God, especially the Bible doctrines of Christianity. They should be carefully, widely, read.

2. From Mrs. White's pen will come a series of articles, each independent, on the life, teaching, and work of Jesus our Lord and Saviour. These articles will be especially rich in spiritual truth.

3. Our next Bible-reading will be on the subject of the Signs of the Times, Increasing Wealth, Labor Troubles, etc. It will be of striking interest.

4. The Studies in Daniel will deal with Babylon and her king in our next issue.

5. Articles in Romans will still further open up this wonderful Gospel treatise.

And there are many other things most excellent.

Backsliding and Its Causes

Backsliding and Its Causes.—An article in the California Christian Advocate of September 26, after stating that there is much backsliding to-day and the weakness of the church is largely in the fact that so many members are in a backsliding state, goes on to say that in olden times after due efforts to reform the backslider, he was cast out if he continued in his backsliding condition, but to-day he is permitted to remain in, his name is carried on the church roll, and he is a dead weight. All of which is true. He names three steps in backsliding: failure to watch, bad company, and open sinning. And yet there are two things which lie back of these steps, lack of prayer and feeding on God's word. No Christian can maintain spiritual strength who fails to feed upon the word of God and hold daily communion with the Father in heaven. The pitiable thing is that the word of God means very little to the average church-member of to-day. The only true revival which will make Christians who will not backslide is the revival thru the word.

Obedience

Obedience.—That is what God asks of His children in all ages, worlds, conditions. Equally of the shining messengers before His throne and of the lowest sinner He demands it. Of course, it can not be wrought by His creatures in their own strength. God asks of man what he can not do in his own power. Obedience to God can only be wrought by faith; but there can be no true faith without the spirit of obedience, the longing to obey. "If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know."

Good Counsel.

In a recent address before a Young Men's Christian Association in New York City, W. J. Bryan said: "If you keep on putting into practise the Bible precepts that you do understand, you will be kept so busy that you'll have no time to worry about what you don't understand."

Our New Cover-Page and Department Heads.

—Have you studied our new cover page? It is a sermon in itself. The decoration around the title at the top is the passion flower, emblematic of the sufferings of Christ. In the upper left-hand corner is the ancient altar of burnt offering and the priest offering sacrifice. In the center is the open ancient sanctuary, with its holy and most holy places. These were typical of Christ's sacrifice and priesthood, the only means by which sin could ever be taken away. Sin is and ever has been the transgression of God's law, represented by Sinai and the tables of stone, which still thunder in the ears of sinners, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Below is the cross, the teaching of Christ, and the empty tomb, proclaiming a conquering Saviour. Our Missions and Home headings speak for themselves. In our Outlook heading the old watchman on the high tower is anxiously looking over the intervening darkness of valley and plain to the breaking of morning over the mountain tops beyond. We can hear the ancient cry, "Watchman, what of the night?" and the reply, "The morning cometh." And spiritually the long night of sin is almost gone, and the morning of eternal peace is about to break.

Our Missions Department

By Editor

Our Missions Department is omitted this week for this rea-son: An article came from Prof. J. L. Shaw, director of our missions in India, giving a report of the dedication of the Mountain Mission Rest Home at Mussoorie; and we has-tened to put it in type. As no illustrations accompanied it, we supposed none had been sent. Just as we were ready to make up the paper some fine photos came, but too late for this number, and too late to provide other matter. We therefore dropped the department this issue. The article with appropriate illustrations will appear next week.

The Paper’s Foreign Field Burden

By Editor

It is utterly impossible, in the very nature of the case, for this journal to furnish space for write-ups of purely local charities or institutions in the home field. Brief notes are the best we can do. If we complied with what many of our correspondents desire, the paper would be half filled with notices. And then we are sure that that would please none. Our burden and the burden of the paper ought to be for the great foreign field,

Earthquakes and the True Refuge

Read the article on "Earthquakes in Divers Places" in our Outlook Department. Of what greater worth are the opinions of men now than when the article in Harpers' Monthly was written? How much better are the utterances of God's prophets! And He only presents the true refuge from outward calamity, and, what is worse than outward calamity, from inward sin.

Anonymous Communications

Over and over we have to say it that we reply to no anonymous communications or print cranky letters. We do not publish names unless requested. All communications not written for the public will be regarded as confidential.

Read the Bible Through in a Year

It takes only from fifteen to thirty minutes a day to read the entire Bible thru in a year, depending upon how rapidly you read. Why should not every one read it?

Contained in This Issue.

With Our Inquirers

Questions No. 2297 to 2306 . . . . . Page 2

Editorial

The Power of the Word . . . . . 3 Studies in the Book of Daniel . . . . . 4 Studies in Romans . . . . . 5

General

Drunkenness and Crime . . . . . 6 Is It Good to Be Afflicted? . . . . . 6 Coercion Versus Love . . . . . 7 God's Creation Marred by Sin . . . . . 7

Home Bible Studies

What Christ's Coming Means . . . . . 8 The Coming again of Jesus Christ . . . . . 9 God's Presence and Sin . . . . . 9 The World as an Ordinary Neighborhood . . . . . 9 Amos . . . . . 9

Outlook

Earthquakes in Divers Places . . . . . 10 The Financial Straitness . . . . . 11

The Home

Fish for Persistency . . . . . 12 Work and Idleness . . . . . 12 How Alone to Keep Pure . . . . . 12 Acquaintance and Friendship—Proprieties . . . . . 13 Early Companionships . . . . . 13 Thoughts on Good Form . . . . . 14

Poetry

Watchman . . . . . 1 Success . . . . . 7