p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 23. (6/17/1897)

Beer Drinking

Beer Drinking.—Dr. Rogers, examining physician of the New York Life Insurance Company, tells us that in his study of brewers he finds that "up to forty or thereabouts brewers seem to be about as good risks as pretty much anybody else. After forty the mortality rises very high, and I should sa, that at fifty-five or sixty years of age about three brewers may be expected to die where one average person dies."

McKenna Rejects West Point Chapel

ATTORNEY-GENERAL MCKENNA, himself a Catholic, has decided against the erection of a Roman Catholic chapel at West Point. It is a privilege that the Secretary of War has no right to grant. Some Catholics are displeased; others acquiesce.

NO CHRISTIAN NATIONS.

THE religion of man has many different forms, all manifesting his unregenerate nature and passions; and the religion of the Turk is one of them. This religion has always united itself with the power of the State, man's government; and the world has been cursed by the unnatural union and its monstrous progeny of persecution and bloodshed.

Christianity, the life and power of God in Christ Jesus and his Gospel, comes down to the world possessing a power above, distinct, and apart from all these. There are no Christian nations or Christian governments as such. As soon as men attempt to crystallize Christianity into law, they get but a dead form; the life has fled. It can not be bound and confined by the creeds of councils or the laws of men. A curse of the world to-day, a weighty incubus upon our foreign missions, is the idea that these missionaries and missions represent Christian nations,—that England, with her oppression of India, her rum in Africa, her opium in China, is "Christian;" that America, with her law-enthroned plutocracy, her exports of rum and tobacco to heathen lands, her seemingly corrupt governments, national, State, and municipal, is "Christian." And for all these crimes our missionaries and missionary journals apologize and mourn. In the name of the blessed Christ, why do they not say the living truth, America is not "Christian" except in name. Nor England, nor Greece, nor Spain is "Christian," however they may call themselves such. Christianity is a matter of individual life and relation in Jesus Christ to every soul that believes. Let the church and her children preach that, and leave the political problems to God and the world, instead of using the Babylonian plan of force to execute God's decrees, and reaping the sure reward of death from her own poison wine.

One Safe Example

One Safe Example.—What a blessed thing to know in these days of peril that we have one safe Example to follow, one safe Teacher upon whom we may rely! He is not affected by the Higher Criticism, or the lower criticism, or Theosophy, or Christian Science, or Modern Spiritualism, or a hundred and one religio-political theories; but he brings to us the truth of God fresh from the ever-living Source every day. His teachings, his Word, is a fountain of life bursting forth for the thirsty. He presents no strange way for us to follow; for the way is his, marked every step with his own blessed footprints. He brings no complex, vague, uncertain system of truth; it is so simple and clear that the little child may accept and rejoice in it, yet so vast and deep that the most profound philosopher can never sound its depths. He asks us to lead no strange life; for the life is his; he has lived it before us and will live it in us. More than this: Our Teacher, our Example, is himself the Way, the Truth, the Life, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and all days to come. Traveler in this world of uncertainties, follow him. Lost wanderer in the wilds of sin's night, listen to his voice, follow the light which streams from his wounded side. Yea, to all the sin-sick, restless, heart-hungry, lost souls of earth he speaks, "Come unto me, . . . and I will give you rest." They that trust in him "shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end."

The Field Is the World

"The Field Is the World."—Here is an echo of what is called by many "Christian" sentiment: "Noble the cry—America for Americans, England for the English, France for the French!" But the Christian truth is, "The field is the world." To all the world is the Christian sent forth, "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise," by virtue of the great fact that Christ has purchased all men with his own life. He who acknowledges Christ's ownership and leadership will count himself, as did Paul, "debtor" to all; and he will count all the purchase of Christ's blood. He will hate their sins, but he will love and endeavor to save their souls.

Catholic Employment of Protestants

Referring to the Methodist Book Concern trouble over the employment of Catholics, the Catholic Mirror says: "We know that upon the pay-roll of the Catholic Mirror there are now and always have been many persons who are not Catholics; indeed, taking into consideration the different departments of the Mirror, it will be found by any one curious to investigate, that the Protestants outnumber the Catholics." All of which proves nothing either way. But would Catholics employ Protestant teachers?

Notice About Unpaid Papers

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.

CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Editorial.

Ministers of God (notes) . . . . . 1, 2
Not Men but God . . . . . 2
The Little Horn of Daniel VII . . . . . 1, 2, 3, 4

Poetry.

Sanctification, MRS. MARTHA J. GATES . . . . . 4
Only One Mother . . . . . 9
To the Fore . . . . . 10

General Articles.

Jewish Customs and Traditions ("The Feast of Harvest,"

or Pentecost), F. C. GILBERT . . . . . 4

The Life and Light of Men, MRS. E. G. WHITE . . . . . 5
Citizenship, M. S. BABCOCK . . . . . 6
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, H. F. PHELPS . . . . . 7
Papal Religious Innovations . . . . . 8

The Outlook.—The Crisis—The Church and Revivals—

Fulfilment of Prophecy—Religion in Public Schools . . . . . 8

The Fireside.—The Effect of Righteousness, MRS. S. M. I.

HENRY—Household Hints . . . . . 9, 10

Missions.—Buddhism in Tibet—Our Work and Workers . 10, 11

International Sabbath-School Lesson.—The Meeting

at the Sea of Galilee (Lesson 13, Sabbath, June 26, 1897); De- parture and Promises (Lesson 1, Sabbath, July 3, 1897 . . 12, 13

International Sunday-School Lesson.—Review (Lesson

13, Sunday, June 27, 1897); First Converts in Europe (Lesson 1, Sunday, July 4, 1897) . . . . . 13

News and Notes . . . . . 14

Publishers . . . . . 15

Sabbath-School and Sunday-School Lessons

By Editor

WE print in this issue two lessons each of the Sabbath-school and Sunday-school series, on account of omitting last week. The first lessons may be a little late in reaching some of those who depend upon them, but we hope not.

California Camp-Meeting Begins

By Editor

At the time of closing this page, our California camp-meeting is just beginning. It would seem that a more beautiful sight there never was. The attendance will be good, and, with the expected blessing of the Lord, it will be the best camp-meeting ever held in California.

The Power of Truth

By Editor

READ by all means the story in our Fireside department, by Mrs. Henry, and see the power of the truth of God over the agencies of evil. O, how often is it revealed in the Gospel to our natural mind that truth is stranger than fiction. The work of righteousness is always peace.

Citizenship

By Editor

THE article on "Citizenship" is rather long, but it will repay a careful reading, and its principles a profound study. We are living in times when we ought to be sure about our citizenship, and to know whether our name is on the Great Register. What is our commonwealth? Where is our home? Who is our king? Do we love his law? These are questions of importance.

Walkers, Not Talkers

John G. Woolley utters a forcible truth when he says in the New York Voice: "The church is not suffering for talkers but walkers, and one does not get good legs by being carried." More ministers and fewer preachers are needed. And every Christian may be a minister, a good steward of the manifold grace of God bestowed upon him. Tho deaf and dumb, one may be a minister to the needy.