Editorial.—Notes and Comments—The Increase of Crime—Repentance.......................................... 385, 386
Doctrinal.—A Solitary Way (poetry)—The Cleansing Touch and Word—The Second Coming of Christ—Alone with God—The Origin of the Sabbath in Creation—"What Shall We Have, Therefore?"—God's Work......................................................................... 387-390
Miscellaneous.—Aspiration (poetry)—Obedience the Fruit of Love—Faith and Prayer and "Science" Healing (concluded)—Should Civil Laws Be Obeyed When in Conflict with the Laws of God?—"For in Such an Hour as Ye Think Not"—Divinely Guided—Charity Toward All..................................................................................... 390-393
Home and Health.—Habit Making and Habit Breaking (poetry)—A Sermon in Cross-stitch—Example and Influence—God's Church—Tight Lacing—The Value of Apples—Reputation and Character—A Little Barren Kingdom......................................................... 394, 395
Our Work and Workers.—A True Reformer (poetry)—Field Notes....................................................................................... 396, 397
International S. S. Lessons.—The Value of Wisdom (Lesson 6, Sunday, May 7, 1893)—Can We Know of the Time? (Lesson 6, Sabbath, May 6, 1893)........ 398
News and Notes.—Religious—Secular....................................... 399
Editorial.—Various Notes and Comments—Liberty of Conscience......................................................................................... 400
ONE of the articles from Japan to be exhibited at the World's Fair is a bronze bell. The inscription on the bell, translated into English, reads, "This bell, cast in the city of Tokyo, December 10, 1892, by Tsuda Sen, is made from the metal of tobacco pipes of more than a thousand men, once slaves, now freemen." This inscription is also to be engraved in English, French, and German.
THERE is a good deal being said by the press about Romish prelates buying up quantities of Winchester rifles and storing them in churches and nunneries. Just what it means we are unable to say, but there seems to be no doubt that many Catholic societies are being armed. One thing is certain, however, such action stamps that church as antichrist, for the weapons of the Christian's warfare "are not carnal" (2 Cor. 10:4). There is no legitimate connection between a Christian and a gun. Our Master "came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56), and the true Christian is like Christ.
THE latest number of the Religious Liberty Library (No. 6) is entitled "The Captivity of the Republic." The title is significant, but is fully justified by the facts set forth in the pamphlet. It is by Elder A. T. Jones, and is a full report of the hearing by the House Congressional Committee on the Columbian Exposition, with reference to Sunday closing. This matter is fully set forth in this publication as in no other, and to fully understand the scope of that celebrated action of Congress it is necessary to procure this pamphlet. It contains 110 pages; price, 15 cents. Published by the International Religious Liberty Association, 267 W. Main Street, Battle Creek, Mich. For sale also by Pacific Press Publishing Co., Oakland, Cal., and 43 Bond Street, New York City.
IT has been decided to hold the California State camp meeting (May 11-21) on the same ground occupied last year,—Bushrod Park, Oakland. It is a pleasant, healthful location, and much of the preparatory work done last year will be saved. The facilities for reaching the ground are better than before, as the Consolidated Street Railway Co. has greatly extended its lines and connections, so that those who desire to attend the meetings can go from almost any quarter of the city on one fare (five cents). The location is as convenient to Berkeley as to Oakland. The next thing on the program is for our brethren in the Conference to decide to go, and at once order tents. The directions for this purpose are elsewhere given in this paper. Elders O. A. Olsen, S. N. Haskell, and Prof. W. W. Prescott, as also other well-known and efficient laborers, will be in attendance. Due notice in regard to railroad rates will be given.
THE Christian at Work says that at a recent meeting of Baptist ministers in the city of New York, "one speaker gave notice to his clerical brethren that he had begun a war on hoop skirts, and that he had already warned the feminine members of his church not to appear in them." The editor adds that "most ministers leave such matters to the women to regulate for themselves." Yes, and "most ministers" have many other worldly follies to their people to "regulate for themselves," because it is not popular to give the warning. There is nothing in the lives of women that wields a greater influence upon their sex, or upon their Christian profession if they make such a profession, than the manner of their dress. And it is as much the minister's duty to point out the evils arising from improper dress on the part of his flock as to utter warnings and reproofs in regard to other sinister influences. Both Paul and Peter (1 Tim. 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3), speaking by the Spirit of God, spoke plainly to the sisters in regard to their apparel; and the Spirit having spoken on the subject, no minister can "declare the whole counsel of God" and "leave such matters to the women to regulate for themselves," any more than they can leave any other matter of conduct to such regulation. The women of to-day are just as liable to be led astray and to bring reproach upon the cause of God by extravagances in dress as they were in the time of Paul and Peter. And it is just as much the minister's duty to take cognizance of such evils to-day as it ever was. Whether they fulfill the obligation wisely or not is another question. In this matter their responsibility is the same as in all other duties.
AND Passion Week comes in for a place in the procession of so-called Protestantism toward Rome. Says the Advance (Presbyterian):—
Passion Week appears to be growing in the estimation of the churches as one of the most significant of anniversaries and a time peculiarly fitted for holding special services. It is becoming the week of prayer. The vote of the Chicago ministers to make this special use of the week seems to have been justified by events. A most impressive observance of the week has been customary in another city, where a number of churches united, and the pastors in turn commemorated in a sermon such day the events of which it is the anniversary. The services are varied on Thursday evening by the service of the Lord's Supper, at about the time of its first observance. From such simple and appropriate exercises as these there is little fear of ritualism so that they will drift into perfunctory ceremonialism. They are easily taken up and may be discontinued without a jar when, if ever, their usefulness ceases.
This is simply another imitation of Rome. Is it true that "there is little fear of ritualism," or that the exercises "will drift into perfunctory ceremonialism"? The custom originated in "perfunctory ceremonialism," and is it possible for an imitation to rise any higher than the thing imitated? There is no probability of these services ever being "discontinued." When Protestants become so blinded in the pursuit of Roman precedents that they cannot see the "drift" of all such mimicry, and that it never had any "usefulness," they will not soon be convinced that its usefulness has ceased. They will not be likely to come to such a conclusion so long as influential church organs urge them on in the delusion by the assurance that "it is cheering to see the custom growing among the churches."
WHEN there exists in the minds of the people such morbid love for excitement and amusement as is evinced in the following paragraph, it shows a growing depravity of morals and travesty on justice which is truly startling:—
Alfonso Elizondo, a Mexican, was to have been hanged recently at Floresville, Texas. A few hours before the time set for the execution a telegram was received by the sheriff from Governor Hogg, commuting the condemned man's sentence to imprisonment for life. The scaffold had been erected and a new suit of clothes purchased for Elizondo, who looked upon the proposed fatal proceedings as a kind of a fiesta. The sheriff, the prisoner, and the entire population of the town and surrounding country were sorely disappointed. Something had to be done to amuse the curious throng which had gathered to witness the hanging, so, upon the suggestion of someone, the prisoner was marched to the scaffold and the rope was carefully adjusted. The sheriff took his stand at the trap-door lever, and, upon command of the crowd, Elizondo danced a weird jig with the black cap drawn over his face and the rope around his neck. He kept the crowd amused with his dancing for an hour and was then marched back to his cell.
We could picture without astonishment such scenes in the Dark Ages, where martyrdom, massacre, and bloodshed were incidents of almost daily association; but to find such scenes enacted in the nineteenth century in this professed Christian country, and that, too, at the desire and dictation of a whole community, including the officers of the law, and remembering at the same time that this is but a local manifestation of the national love for similar gruesome sports, we are led to reflect if, after all, our "higher civilization" has given us greater refinement of taste and feelings than had our forefathers. Was not Justice Brewer a little too sanguine when he declared this to be a Christian nation?
LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.
By Editor
A CURRENT press item says that there is considerable excitement in Mexico among the Catholics over the alleged action of the government authorities in forcibly detaining Jesusa Lopez, the daughter of a prominent merchant, who left the City of Mexico for Lafayette, Louisiana, where she was to enter a convent as a nun. The reform laws of Mexico prohibit convents, and no woman is allowed to take the veil. Miss Lopez, however, desired to enter a convent in the United States and her wishes were acceded to by her parents. She was 900 miles from home when the train was boarded by a police officer, who took her back to the City of Mexico. Strange indeed are the efforts made by earthly governments to secure religious liberty for the people—where they make an effort at all. Mexico made a desperate attempt to get rid of Roman domination, and in doing so went to an extreme. It seems from the case in point that, while a citizen of Mexico may come into the United States for all ordinary purposes, his daughter may not come for the purpose of entering a convent.
The history of governmental action to throw off the yoke of religious tyranny shows in nearly every case a jump from one tyranny to another. Hence, it has been demonstrated over and over that the only true theory of religious liberty is for secular government to keep its hands out of religious matters further than to guarantee to every individual absolute freedom of conscience. The framers of the United States Constitution caught the true idea, but under the influence of religious forces both Congress and the Supreme Court have ignored the provisions of the Constitution upon which the people have relied for the exercise of freedom of conscience. So it may now be said that there is not a government on earth that does guarantee such liberty absolutely. This is because the principle of religious liberty is not understood, the prevalent idea being based upon the theory that only those in harmony with the existing powers have any rights. Those who have the power establish their own freedom, and all others must regulate their consciences accordingly or suffer the consequences of being physically in the minority. But while we may not have liberty under governmental attempts to formally regulate our consciences, we can have liberty in Christ. And, knowing that this corrupt world is soon to come to an end, "we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness."