Earlier text: Has Christianity Broken Down?Not to Destroy, but to Fulfil
By Francis Monroe Burg
He Fulfilled the Law and the Prophets—Is Developing a People—The Heathen for a Possession "THE law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Luke 16:16. Jesus states plainly that He came to fulfil the law. In every sense this is true. He came in fulfilment of and to fulfil what Moses in all his writing had said of Him. The sacrifices in connection with the sanctuary service foretold His coming as the Lamb of God, to take away the sin of the world. He shed His blood; and through His sacrifice and through His blood, we have remission of sins. By virtue of His suffering, He is now interceding in heaven for us,—the High Priest in the sanctuary which God pitched and not man. Heb. 8:1, 2. He has now appeared in the presence of God to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Heb. 9:25, 26. All that Moses in the law wrote concerning His priesthood is being fulfilled; and when His intercession is finished, He will complete the atonement by the final blotting out of sins, the antitype of the work of atonement described by Moses in Leviticus 16. HE FULFILLED IT BY HIS LIFE
He came also to fulfil the law that God gave to men through Moses on Mount Sinai. This He did by living its precepts before the world, and by teaching and applying its precepts to every-day life. The prophet Isaiah said of His mission, "He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21. The spiritual conceptions of men had become so narrowed that they did not see the exceeding breadth of the commandments. See Ps. 119:96. They had even made the commandments of God of no effect by their traditions. Matt. 15:6. Jesus cleared away all this rubbish, and plainly set before them the true meaning of the law, and its application to every-day living. He Himself kept the law as man's example. "I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." John 15:10. HE IS DEVELOPING A PEOPLE
Now He is developing a people in whose lives will be seen in living characters the beauties of the commandments of God, and a church will be prepared and ready to meet the King at His coming. Rev. 14:12; 22:11-14. He came to fulfil the prophets. These seers of old had foretold His first advent. In fulfilment of these predictions, He came and lived among men. They also foretold His second coming as King of kings. His ministry will soon be finished in heaven, and the kingdoms of this world will "become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever." Rev. 11:15. THE HEATHEN FOR A POSSESSION
Then will be fulfilled Ps. 2:7-9: "I will declare the decree: . . . Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." And the prophecy of Daniel concerning His eternal kingdom will have its fulfilment: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him." Dan. 7:27. Micah said, looking forward to that glorious day, "And Thou, O Tower of the flock, the Stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." Micah 4:8. Scriptures without number from the prophets, referring to His first advent, and also to His second coming, might be cited. What a unity and how consistent are the Scriptures when we read them from the right angle and with our minds unclouded by unsound and speculative theology! May we have our vision made more and more clear, till we see Jesus on every page of the blessed Book! Worshiping the Devil
By John L. Westrup
WHAT a power the devil has over the poor deluded people of this world! In some countries, he hides himself under an outward garb of civilization; but nevertheless his power to lead people away from God and to deceive is fearful. Here in China, where he is worshiped to appease his wrath, he works more openly and frightfully. There is a terrible form of torture manifested in fits of anger, the victims of which come to our dispensary nearly every day. In these instances, it seems that the grace of God, which everywhere restrains the devil, has hardly any chance to manifest its protecting power, and the devil eggs them on to fearful conditions. They ruin their voices for life, their bodies swell up and remain so, and this slowly gives rise to other diseases. How dreadful it will be when the grace of God is withdrawn from the unbelievers all over this wicked world! The whole world is under great obligation to God for the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit. O that men everywhere would thank the Lord for His goodness! The Marked Change at Conversion
No one in this country can doubt the existence of the devil. At the same time, the power of God to save is plainly manifested. The change at conversion is more marked here than in many places. The faith of the people is more childlike, their prayers are more earnest, and they expect and get victory over the devil and the flesh. We see many clear evidences of answer to prayer. Only yesterday a colporteur told me how God continually protected him and his family and the brethren, while others around them constantly suffered from robbers. One day he passed through a thousand of the White Wolf bandits, and to his joy they did not molest him. At another time, he was approaching a very dangerous place, infested by fearful robbers; but he and the man who wheeled his papers, books, etc., knelt on the road and prayed earnestly for the Lord's protection, and then went forward in faith, and passed through without being harmed.6 We have had many such instances these two years. The more dangers there are around, the more genuine is the faith; and where there is faith in God, He is able to show His power and love. Our brethren are scattered all over Honan, but not one of them has lost property or life these two awful years. We daily praise God for His protecting care. Our one desire is to get nearer to Him and become more like Him. The more we become like Him, the more peace, joy, and blessing we have in our lives. Praise the dear Lord for His love and for His goodness to the children of men. A Dangerous Law Proposed for California
By Eugene W. Farnsworth
Seeking to Drag Us Back to the Days of Intolerance and Persecution
Sunday Laws the First Step—Then Laws Compelling Church Attendance
By EUGENE W. FARNSWORTH WHILE no one doubts the good intentions of the church people and others who have, by petition, placed upon the ballot for the coming November election the Sunday bill known as "An Act to Provide for One Day in Seven as a Day of Rest," yet much more is involved in this question of Sunday laws than appears on the surface. In the first place, Sunday is not the Sabbath; for the commandment says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God," and the seventh day of the week is Saturday. The observance of Sunday is nowhere commanded in the Bible. It is through the decrees of church councils and the customs of religious people that Sunday has come to be observed as it is to-day. It is an establishment of religion. THE OFFICER COMPELLED CHURCH ATTENDANCE
In early colonial days, strict church attendance was required by law on pain of whipping, sitting in the stocks, or death on the gallows. It was the duty of the tithing man to report all who "lye at home," and all the "sons of Belial strutting about, setting on fences, and otherwise desecrating the day." Likewise, in Massachusetts blasphemy was punished by imprisonment, whipping, the pillory, boring the tongue with a red-hot iron, or sitting upon the gallows with a rope about the neck. The colonists came to America to escape the religious persecution of the Old World; but they so far forgot the rights of their fellow beings to the same exercise of a free conscience—a right which they themselves demanded—that they consigned Roger Williams, who disagreed with them in religious opinions, to banishment and the tender mercies of the Indians in the dead of winter. PROVIDED AGAINST SUCH BIGOTRY
A few years later, our forefathers having learned that Puritan blue laws made men hypocrites without changing their wicked hearts, if wicked they were, wisely placed in our national constitution the provision that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." A provision of the same import is contained in all the state constitutions. As Sunday is an establishment of religion, its compulsory observance by law is thus condemned. Further than this, the declaration of our independence from Great Britain, the chief foundation stone of our government, declares that all men are created equal, and "are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights," among which are "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It is manifestly subversive of this principle to compel our citizens to refrain from doing on one day of the week what it is proper and right for them to do upon other days. It was that all might have full freedom in religious matters that the first amendment to the national constitution was drawn. If it is proper to violate its provisions in the passage of a Sunday law, it is also proper to violate it in the passage of laws taxing our citizens for the support of the church, or obliging all to partake of the mass or to be baptized. If baptism becomes compulsory, who shall say whether it shall be by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion? Of course, the real object of these laws is to compel a better church attendance. Ministers who have forsaken the word of God to make a lecture platform of the pulpit, or who have indulged in picking the Bible to shreds until only the covers are left, have found that their hearers prefer the ball game or the exciting show to listening to their platitudes. What is needed is not a law to bolster up the observance of the day, but a ministry charged with love for souls, and a return to the old-time faith in the Bible. Is it unchristian to stand against Sunday laws? Was it unchristian for Christ to say, "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them"? And would those who are laboring devotedly for the passage of Sunday laws, consent to the enactment of a Mohammedan Friday law in America? Or would they wish the observers of Saturday to secure the passage of a Saturday law, compelling all to rest on that day?—No! Such laws would be unjust. Neither these nor a Sunday law can make our citizens one whit better; for if they do not hold Sunday sacred, and yet are compelled, by the strong arm of the state, to observe it, they become hypocrites; while if they do hold the day sacred, they will properly observe it without the compulsion. HOW SUCH LAWS HAVE PERSECUTED MEN
"But," says one, "these laws are harmless, and can not result in persecution in these modern days of enlightenment and civilization." We answer, Such laws did result in persecution in colonial days, and have so resulted in modern times, since Sunday laws have been passed by the states. In eleven years, from 1885 to 1896, fines and costs aggregating $2,260.69, imprisonment for a total of 1,438 days, and 455 days in the chain-gang, were meted out to more than one hundred conscientious, God-fearing Seventh-day Adventists in this country, and about thirty in foreign countries. Such prosecutions have taken place in at least fifteen states in this country. Yet these are laws similar to that proposed for California. EXEMPTIONS ARE NO PROTECTION
Exemptions placed in Sunday laws do not make them less harmful. They are un-American religious laws just the same. The exemptions make of them class legislation. The object of such exemptions is to silence opposition to the enactment and enforcement of the laws. After such a law is enacted, it is comparatively easy to secure a revocation of the exemption clause. Liberty of conscience is a right to be respected, not a grant to be tolerated. There has been talk of closing the Panama-Pacific Exposition on Sundays. But why? Will our citizens receive harm from viewing upon Sunday what they may look upon with no ill effects on other days of the week? The attitude of Sunday law advocates regarding the Chicago exposition in 1892-1893, in boycotting the fair because the gates were not closed on Sundays, and in calling upon President Cleveland to guard the gates Sundays with troops, shows a spirit other than that of brotherly love. In fact, the whole Sunday law propaganda is based not upon the principle of Christ that men render to Cæsar the things of Cæsar, and to God the things of God, but upon the antichristian principle of a state guided and dominated by the church for her own aggrandizement,—a principle which in years agone bathed its sword in the blood of millions who dissented from the established church. The Coming Second Advent
By G. W. R.
THERE are two great focal points of prophecy; first, the event of our Lord's first coming; and second, the appearing of "this same Jesus," "and all the holy angels with Him." The first of these events occurred in "the fulness of time" in Jehovah's great plan of redemption, and the fulness of time for Christ's second advent is almost at hand. Cheer up, wayworn pilgrim! The time of deliverance draws on apace. G. W. R. Christian Science
By W. C. Thompson
In Denying the Atonement, It Shows Itself Non-Christian
By W. C. THOMPSON THERE is something about the terms In Denying the Atonement, It Shows Itself Non-Christian
By W. C. THOMPSON THERE is something about the terms Your After Self—What Shall It Be?
By I. C. Colcord
THE present self has much to do with the after self. As the tint of the morning shows the coming day, so budding childhood shows the coming man. Then each boy and girl has a large duty in life toward the after self—the man or the woman he or she ought to be. Adown the vista the after self is waiting his turn. His soul, mind, body, and strength are now in the vital grasp of boyish hands. He is helpless, for he can only take for his inheritance what is given to him by your present self. Will it be a brain deranged by lust and dissipation, or a mind well trained to think like flashes of lightning, a nervous system ever controllable as the rudder by the pilot wheel? Or will you throw away his inheritance in a feverish frenzy of youthful8 tangoing with sin, wantonness, and decay, before he has had the experienced joy of touching it? Will you turn over to him a brain distorted, a heart riddled by disease of intemperance, a “spinal cord grown through and through with devil grass of that vile harvest we call wild oats,” soaked and bloated with that “social glass” of a “good time” which breaks no records, because the record breaks him? Will you let your after self take his place as a man among men, hallowed by your protective present self, and fortified against the tempest of temptation? Or will you shatter his hopes, and fling to the wild winds, decreeing, abandon-like, that the man or the woman you might have been, shall never be? “One ship drives east, and one drives west,
By the very same wind that blows.
’Tis the set of the sails, and not the gales,
That tells which way she goes.” The habit-forming period carries with it tremendous responsibilites, for habit-forming is far easier than habit-breaking. So every youth should soliloquize, and as Solomon says, “ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth all his goings.”
I. C. COLCORD. Evolution Too Hard to Accept
By Allen Moon
IT requires a vast stretch of credulity to accept the conflicting theories of evolutionists as to the origin of the earth. It is far easier to receive by simple faith the story of the word of God. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Heb. 11:3. Here is mind and purpose behind the word of God. The evolution theory has no intelligence, no mind, no purpose, no plan, only the thing evolved itself. God's word always speaks the same thing. We never know what new theory is to be sprung upon us by evolutionists. ALLEN MOON. The Treasured Merit of Christ
By C. P. Bollman
THE twin systems, heathenism and Romanism, teach that a person can be saved by his own merits, if by those of the saints, or that such merits are instrumental in securing his salvation; but Christianity teaches that salvation is secured through the merits of Christ alone. The truth is beautifully expressed in the following words from the pen of another: “Christ accepts the surrender of the soul. He has pledged Himself to be our substitute and surety, and He neglects no one. There is an inexhaustible fund of perfect obedience accruing from His obedience. How is it that such an infinite treasure is not appreciated? In heaven, the merits of Christ, His self-denial and self-sacrifice, are treasured up as incense to be offered up with the prayers of His people. As sincere, humble prayers ascend to the throne of God, Christ mingles with them the merits of His life of perfect obedience. Our prayers are made fragrant by this incense. Christ has pledged Himself to intercede in our behalf, and the Father always hears His Son. Pray, then, without ceasing; an answer is sure to come. But let me speak in warning: ‘If any man regard iniquity in his heart, the Lord will not hear him.’” FAITH must act now, or it is not faith. We do not have faith until we use faith. Faith that is limited to the future is not faith, but distrust. Suppose we should say to a friend who asked us to trust him, "I will trust you implicitly to-morrow." "But will you not trust me now?" "I promise you that I will trust you absolutely to-morrow." How much would we be trusting that friend to-day? We might shrink from saying to his face that we distrusted him, but our answers would mean nothing else. And this is the way we often treat our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask Him for His own complete victory, power, peace; for the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our life. Then we say to ourselves that we believe that some day He will answer our prayer. And all the time He is asking, "Won't you trust Me now?" To say that we believe that some day our Lord will meet a spiritual need of ours which is a present need, is to say that we do not trust Him to-day. If we do trust Him absolutely to-day, we may well continue to trust Him to-morrow; but if we postpone our trust until to-morrow, we may find ourselves distrusting Him then just as much as to-day.—Sunday School Times. Training the Voice for Worship
“LET the voices of the followers of Christ be so trained that instead of crowding words together in a thick, indistinct way, their utterance may be clear, forcible, and edifying. Do not let the voice fall after each word, but keep it up so that each sentence will be full and complete. Will it not be worth disciplining yourself, if by so doing you are able to add interest to the service of God and to edify His children? The voice of thanksgiving, praise, and rejoicing is heard in heaven. The voices of the angels in heaven unite with the voices of the children of God on earth as they ascribe honor and glory and praise to God and to the Lamb for the great salvation provided.” A WORD TO OUR READERS
By Editor
We send no papers from this office to individuals without pay in advance. 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 to pay for them. Please read the papers you may receive, and hand them to your friends to read. 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. Our authority for the doctrines we teach is the Bible. Quotations are usually from the King James Version or the American Standard Revised. Had to Belong to the Church to Be a Citizen
By J. O. C.
Early Struggles for Religious Freedom in Our Country
Colonists United Church and State — Banished Dissenters — Is the Danger of Persecution All Past? The New England Pilgrims established their government under a charter from the English crown. Remaining in fear of the episcopal system under which they had been so rigorously treated in their native land, they fully determined that in their newly adopted Paradise, no place should be found for such hated measures. Having caught, however, but a veiled glimpse of conscience liberty, they saw its bearings only as related to themselves. Their supposed aim at religious peace was therefore so imperfectly understood that they bound closely together in civil compact the church and the commonwealth, in a centered effort to guard their own special interests; hence an attack on one meant an assault on the other. Had to Belong to the Church to Be a Citizen
The result was that no one could become a freeman of their colony unless he became a member of their church, and church-membership was forfeited by a single breath of doctrinal diversity. The church and the state becoming thus identical, it naturally followed that all legislation and jurisdiction was10 planted in the power of those whose religious views were eminently orthodox. Under this condition of things, a young minister, Roger Williams by name, appeared on the scene. He, like the New England Puritans, was a pronounced Separatist, and for this reason, like themselves, had been obliged to leave England in the hope of securing religious peace. His keen perception at once detected the fatal flaw in the instrument of government adopted by the Pilgrims, and he immediately began an attempt to correct it by declaring that civil law had, by right, no jurisdiction over the conscience. His action so aroused the religious instincts of the governing body, that steps were at once taken to silence the voice of criticism, by driving Mr. Williams from the country. It was decided to deport him to England; and upon his being ordered to embark for that country, he fled to the forest in bitter winter weather, where he might have perished but for the kindly assistance rendered by a friendly tribe of Indians, who gave him a residence near them at the place where the city of Providence is now located. The point at issue in this relation, and one over which there has been much dispute, is, Was the action against Roger Williams in the nature of religious persecution, or was it simply a civil process in the interest of civic unity? The contention of the Puritans and their defenders has been that the operation against Mr. Williams was not for his religious belief, but for his attitude toward their charter of commonwealth, which, it was claimed, involved their colony with the English government. But the fact that the rules of the church controlled the operation of their government charter, and that the pressure brought against him was by the action of the church element, must cause one to draw the conclusion that his religious ideas of church and state separation were the real though unacknowledged reason for his banishment. It was the fear of the English monarchs of that day that freedom of religious opinion would undermine their civil authority, and their hatred was therefore turned toward the Puritans so fiercely as eventually to drive them to America. Yet, as soon as these persecuted ones found themselves in the position of rulers, they in turn took the same view of government, and interpreted their charter accordingly. To them, religious dissent and political sedition were of the same order. Their little commonwealth had been built up under great difficulties, through positive differences of reformed opinions, and they therefore feared that its solidarity would be endangered by too much freedom of thought, especially if openly expressed; hence their conduct toward Roger Williams, and the Antinomians under the leadership of Anne Hutchinson. Shall We Go Back to the “Divine Right”?
The lesson to be learned from this history of our government beginnings is, how to prevent its repetition, from any or every standpoint of logic. Should present movements in behalf of a near alliance between religious thought and governmental regulations succeed, conditions similar to those existing in earlier times, but as much worse in effect as they would be more widespread, would be sure to follow. Besides, should America again enter upon such a régime, she would put herself back in the role of government by divine right, thus securing the prerogative of choosing the form of religion her subjects might exercise. But in taking this position, she would also arrogate to herself the honor of Heaven’s vicegerent; for since liberty of religious thought is a direct gift from God and is in no wise dependent on human government grants, any civil power undertaking to regulate any form of religious doctrine or observance not in conflict with the equal rights of others, blasphemously usurps the attributes of the most high God, the Author of life and its prerogatives. On general lines, no one of unbiased intelligence will attempt to contradict this conclusion. But when religious ambition for civil rule steps in, nearly every principle of human rights is ignored, while deep-laid plans are set up by which to realize overweening aspirations. Ostensibly the ground for such movements is that the church may have better facilities for fulfilling its heaven-born mission; in other words, that it may more directly unite the forces of earth in behalf of setting up God’s kingdom among men. But it must be clear, to any logical mind, that for the civil power to unite with the church in its heaven-called work, would require that the civil officials who would be set to enforce the regulations for such an enterprise must affiliate themselves with the church to carry out its decrees. In that case, what would necessarily be the fate of those who could not conscientiously harmonize with the demands of such a church-controlled government, and had the courage to say so? If it were desired to procure an indictment against such, the process would be as easy as in the days of Puritan New England to do so on the plea of resistance to civil law, rather than upon that of religious opinions; for to oppose the religious sentiment of the country would be, as in the history of Roger Williams, to oppose the law upholding it. It is hardly necessary to add that all such would be obliged to flee the country, or suffer persecution for independence of thought. Will Our Civilization Save Us?
In reply to this, it may be said that civilization has passed the point of intolerance that would permit it to enter upon such a régime. How is it that people who urge such claims do not learn of the religious trend of the day? Do they not know that the lines are already set for this very work? If not, let them read the published design of Protestant church federation, by which twenty million people are represented as desiring to grasp the reigns of government in behalf of church betterment. Why do they not learn of the work done by National Reformers and Sunday leaguers for government sustention of church forms, especially for Sunday observance? Let these movements succeed, and nothing will prevent natural bigotry from asserting its power to bring again the conditions that followed the rise to sovereignty of the Pilgrim Fathers. It is well to provide against this repetition of events, by an intelligent resistance of these movements before it is too late to apply the remedy.
J. O. C. SPIRITISM UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE PROPHETS
Its World-Wide Influence a Significant Sign
A WORLD-PREVALENT movement, everywhere evident, is various forms of what is sometimes called "spiritualism," more properly, "spiritism." Spiritism and kindred cults are all founded on that first falsehood of Satan to man, "Ye shall not surely die: . . . ye shall be as God." Out of it has come the baseless hope of self-salvation, and a belief that we can communicate with the spirits of the dead. This movement, which began, so far as this country is concerned, about 1844, and was first manifest in western New York, has spread with marvelous rapidity over the entire world; and it has met among the heathen of the Orient the old demonism of ancient times, until the whole world is affected by it. Men consult it as the oracle of God. Men in all walks of life are its votaries, its devotees. Scientists at first scoffed at it, flouted its claims, ridiculed it. With many it was set down as a fraud; and there has been a great deal of fraud connected with it—sleight of hand tricks of various kinds. But under some of the most careful tests that men could possibly make, it has demonstrated that it is of supernatural origin; that is, it is at least superhuman. Wonderful signs have been wrought by it, wonderful tests have been met by it. Scientists of various fields have banded together in psychic societies for the purpose of investigation, but almost invariably they have come forth from these circles and tests with a belief in its superhuman origin. They have felt that it was not all fraud, that many of the messages which came through mediums were communicated by the bodiless spirits of those who had once lived in humanity. Consequently we have messages that are alleged to be from the great men of the past. Julius Cæsar, Napoleon, great judges and warriors, even our Lord Himself, it is claimed, have spoken through the mediums. Just recently one of its most devoted adherents, Mr. Stead, was lost on the steamship Titanic. Since, spirit mediums have received messages purporting to come from him. SOME SPIRITS SHOW IGNORANCE AND DEPRAVITY
The character of these messages is not flattering to the intelligence of the spirits that are beyond. Sometimes colossal ignorance is shown, sometimes anything but good morals, until the most intelligent spirits are said to declare that there are good and bad spirits; and sometimes the passing away of the individual seems not to improve his morals. Yet on the other hand, ignorant mediums bear learned messages. Mediums ignorant of the first principles of music play classic masterpieces. Some of the scientists who have investigated these things, have, because of the fraud and immorality connected with it, really guessed at the Bible truth of the thing; namely, that these alleged spirits of the dead are simply demons come back in this guise. WORKING WITH POWER AND LYING WONDERS
This is what the Bible itself teaches. We are expressly told that right in connection with the second coming of Christ there will be these wonderful manifestations: "And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thess. 2:8-10. Satan, the devil, is the deceiver of the whole world, to which he was cast down with his angels, the demons. Rev. 12:9. As a deceiver, he "fashioneth himself into an angel of light." 2 Cor. 11:14. He was once Lucifer, an angel of light. Isa. 14:12-14. When he fell, a third of the angels fell with him, and these angels are the demons that have infested the earth since that time. They have known mankind, have been acquainted with those who died, and they come back in the guise of the dead, deceiving those who long to receive some message from the regions beyond. These manifestations will be specially evident when the Lord is about to come, and will perish by the forth-shining of Christ's presence. Referring to Isaiah 8, we learn that men in these days will seek not to God, even as they look not to God for help, and thus God warns His people: "When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards, that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?" Isa. 8:19. Again is presented before us the darkness which inevitably follows the seeking of information from such sources. Another prophecy declares that the responsibility for the great wars rests upon these spirits of evil: "I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs: for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." Rev. 16:13, 14. Thus modern spiritism, the most potent of all deceptions, is, in the light of God's prophecy, one of the world-wide witnesses that we are nearing the end. CURRENTS OF UNREST AND DISSATISFACTION
MANY of the people of America at the present time are congratulating themselves on the fact that we are at peace. Numerous of these are saying that our isolated position and our peculiar condition in general is such that we will not be plunged into war. But if we would note passing events even superficially, we would see that the land is filled with discontent and the spirit of strife and violence. It has not been very long since bands of the Industrial Workers of the World were creating riotous disturbances in one city after another throughout this nation. We came near having a civil war in West Virginia only a little time ago over a coal miners' strike. United States troops had to be called in to settle the difficulties in Colorado. Troops have been called into Butte, Montana, to deal with the situation there. Then there was the trouble in Michigan that gave so much perplexity. In addition to these greater disturbances, there are continually in progress, in one part after another of the nation, local conflicts that are creating a more and more bitter antagonism between the various strata of society. For instance, some little time ago Carl S. Persons killed a man, affirming that he did it in self-defense. The controversy involved the Illinois Central Railroad. Those who are defending Persons are sending out a million documents endeavoring to show that the Illinois Central is seeking to have him convicted in order to get him out of their way. They affirm that if the railroad company is successful, it will be a case of judicial murder at the instance of a greedy corporation. Documents of this kind can not go out without having their effect. And this one in question is only a sample of the many. Now, we do not presume to know the right or the wrong in this case, or in any of the similar cases that are constantly arising; but we do know that the literature that is circulated, the speeches that are made, are creating sentiments of class hatred that are liable to burst out at any time into a great conflagration of strife. And those who are familiar with the actual conditions in our nation know that this is not a mere theory. We are calling attention to facts that too abundantly exist on every hand. Luke says that "as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the Flood came, and destroyed them all." Luke 17:26, 27. In presenting the same thing, Matthew says that they "knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:39. They did not know, and the reason why they did not know was because they failed to heed the warning message of Noah. God has warnings, in His prophetic word, concerning these very times in which we are living. This one quoted from the words of the Saviour is one of them. He tells us that the days of the coming of the Son of man will be as was the time of Noah, and it is stated that in that time "the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6:11. The predictions of the Bible abundantly show that violence, crimes, and wars are among the things that will especially mark the closing days of time. We need to study and understand these prophetic utterances. We must not allow ourselves to be deceived by those who would have us believe that everything is all right, when our senses ought to show us that there is very much indeed that is all wrong. NOTE.—This department is for the purpose of helping Bible students. Answers must of necessity be brief, often only suggestive, never exhaustive, never infallible only as they agree with the infallible Word. Such questions only will be answered as seem to the editors to minister to the mission of the paper. Questions of the same import can not be answered repeatedly in the same volume. Name and address must be given, not for publication, but as evidence of good faith and to insure reply by letter if thought best. It is well always to enclose stamp, not stamped envelope, unless answer is desired by letter alone.