p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 12. (3/19/1912)

The Hope of the Church

"The Hope of the Church."—In the sixth volume of "The Fundamentals," the Rev. John Nicoll, B.A., D.D., principal of the Toronto Bible Training School, truly says that the apostles never speak of death as "something to prepare for," "nor is heaven set forth as the Christian's hope," nor is "the conversion of the world" "the object of the Christian's hope," but that "the hope of the church" "is the personal return of her Lord." This, he declares, was taught by Christ to His apostles, the apostles taught it to their converts; the whole life and work of the New Testament church has the coming of the Lord in view; the New Testament grace of hope rests upon that coming, redemption is not complete until that event, and in that hope are bound up some of the most important truths of the Scripture. All these positions are abundantly fortified with Bible evidence, as our readers would expect, because the Bible is filled with the doctrine of Christ's second coming and its meaning. If the church but appreciated it now, it would be a different church.

How Little We Know

How little we know, by our own research, of the common things of life! How theories supposed to be founded on observation and confirmed by experimentation go glimmering before some stubborn fact which faces them! The old nebular theory of the origin of worlds is utterly set aside by Prof. T. J. See, of the Mare Island Observatory; and many believe that Mr. See is right. The spectroscope has revealed what seem to be wonderful things concerning the substances of suns and nebulæ; but how do we know that there are not elements and combinations of elements in the distant suns or nebulæ which are altogether different from what men conclude them to be, tho they seem the same through our imperfect media? Again, what effect has sin had upon this earth? Has it perverted the laws of other worlds? How little we know after all. How needful the revelation of God in His Word!

Deceased Wife's Sister's Bill

The opposition for years to the "Deceased Wife's Sister's Bill" in Parliament may have been born of sad experience. Some of those who opposed it may have had the sad lot of having to live with deceased mothers' sisters as stepmothers, who ought to have been the best of foster-mothers, but who, alas! were too selfish and foolishly jealous of a husband's love for his children. Thank God, not all dead wives' and mothers' sisters are the same. Some of them are the best of mothers to those left orphans.

The Resources of the Money Trust

The resources of the money trust, says a recent daily paper, are now declared to be greater than the combined income of the national, State, county, and city governments of the United States. It well asks, "What will be the end?"

Conviction Quashed

Conviction Quashed.—Some time ago certain Sabbath-keepers in Newfoundland were haled before the courts for hauling their fish-nets on Sunday. They were tried in the lower courts, and convicted, and then appealed to the Supreme Court. According to the St. Johns Evening Telegram of February 22, the court, while confirming the law, held that the prosecution was not brought within the limit of time provided by the statute, and further that according to prior court decisions "fishermen attending to their own property are not included in the act, and consequently that the work they did incidental to hauling their fish-trap is not within the statute's prohibition." For these reasons the conviction was quashed, and the costs of the appellants were placed upon the respondent. This prosecution was under an English medieval law, and all Sunday laws have a similar origin.

A Globe-Girdling Wireless System

Secretary Meyer says that unless the United States builds two battle-ships a year, Japan will soon be ahead of us as a naval power, and then it will be difficult to wrest the advantage from her again. He also asks Congress to appropriate $1,000,000 for a "globe-girdling wireless system" by which the department could be in contact at all times with the entire navy. It has not been long since war-ships had to come into port for orders, but now they can be "spoken" anywhere on the high seas.

California Experiments With Direct Legislation

By Editor

The people of California have decided to experiment with the initiative, referendum, and recall in legislation. We hope it may be in an intelligent way, and that the people may decide what some classes are bound not to see, that class privileges and religious matters lie outside the purview of all proper civil legislation. There are some questions which belong to well-understood society codes unwritten in statute law, and other questions lie wholly between the conscience and God.

Burial of the Battleship Maine

The after section of the battle-ship Maine has been floated out of the mud where it was sunk at the outbreak of the Spanish war. It is found that the ship is such an utter wreck that it will be necessary to abandon it completely, except as some of its equipment may be saved. The main portion of the hull will be floated out to deep sea, and with proper naval ceremony, given a burial. A funeral service for a battle-ship is rather an unusual occurrence.

England’s Coal Strike

By Editor

England's coal strike has started in earnest, and it bids fair to outdo the railroad strike that she had last summer. Every effort of the statesmen to avert the strike has proved a failure, and now an appeal is made to the king direct. They say he is the only man that can put an end to the labor war. In the meantime the prices of foodstuffs are soaring higher and higher, and much suffering is bound to result from the struggle.

King George’s Proposed American Tour

Despatches from London state that King George has definitely decided to visit Canada during the term of the Duke of Connaught as governor-general, and he is considering favorably a visit to the United States at the same time. Efforts are being put forth to have him visit the Panama-Pacific Exposition while on this tour. It would be a great advertising feature, and doubtless everything possible will be done to bring it about.

A New Periodical in Burma

By Editor

Another periodical is added to our 121 papers and magazines now published,—one in Burma. This now makes sixty foreign papers. The periodical was not named when Superintendent of the Burmese field H. H. Votaw wrote us. May God make the new paper a blessing to the thousands in that far distant land.

Italy and Turkey at War

Reports continue to tell of the hard battles that are being fought between the Italians and the Turks. But there does not seem to be much headway toward the settlement of their difficulties.

An Astronomer's View of Our Father's House

By Editor

"An Astronomer's View of Our Father's House," by Gamma Beta, for years out of print, is now published again, and better than ever.