p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 39. (10/5/1904)

We Desire to Call Your Attention

By Editor

Again to this valuable series of papers soon to be issued. Every phase of the message will be treated in an attractive and interesting manner. The plan is meeting with favor everywhere.

DESCRIPTION

This series will be packed full of short, pithy articles on the Third Angel’s Message. Such subjects as The Soon Coming of Christ, The Sanctuary, The Sabbath, The Three Messages, The State of the Dead, Capital and Labor as a Sign of the Times, and The Judgment, will be given prominence. Different phases of each of the foregoing subjects will be treated in each number, and the titles of other phases to be treated in other papers will be given at the close of each. In this way the series will be bound together, so to speak, and the person who reads one will want to read all. A story in four sections, and excellent articles on “The Home” will appear also. An attractive cover design has been prepared by a prominent artist, which will add materially to the salable qualities of the series. There will be other and appropriate illustrations throughout. A table of contents will also appear on the cover of each number.

TIME OF PUBLICATION

These specials will take the place of the regular weekly issues of November, and will be mailed weekly during that month. This will give a week to circulate each number, which will be ample if rapid work is done.

THE OBJECT

The objects of this series are:—

The presentation of the whole system of Truth connected with the Third Angel’s Message.
To encourage missionary workers with the SIGNS to follow up the interest created by each sale or visit.
To prepare the way for a larger and broader campaign for the circulation not only of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, but other Message-filled publications as well.

WHEN TO ORDER

The first number of the series will go to press about October 15, by which time it is hoped a large portion of the orders may have been received. If orders are received thus promptly, we can print more economically than if several editions are to be manufactured. But do not think because you may not have the opportunity of ordering so early that you cannot get papers; for we will do all in our power to supply the whole series to those ordering throughout the month of November. But be sure to order as early, if possible; yet order later if you must.

GENERAL TITLE

The name of the series will be “The Third Angel’s Message Series.”

IN SETS ONLY

As the series is really a large special number divided into weekly sections, each reader should have the opportunity of studying each section, therefore, we expect to print an equal number of each, and all orders must be for complete sets.

HOW TO ORDER

It will be found more satisfactory to order through your Tract Society, but if this should be inconvenient for any reason, order direct from the PACIFIC PRESS PUB. CO., at its new address, Mountain View, Cal. In ordering clubs to your own address, the following is a good form to use:—

“Please enter my name for . . . . . . . . . sets of Third Angel’s Message Series SIGNS OF THE TIMES, for which you will find . . . . . . enclosed.”

If you wish the series sent to different names and addresses, say:—

“Please send one set of Third Angel’s Message Series SIGNS to each of the following names, for which you will find . . . . . . enclosed.”

PRICE

From one to four sets of four papers each . . . . . . 20c per set. Five or more sets to single names and addresses, 15c ” ” Five to twenty sets to one address . . . . . . 12c ” ” Twenty-five or more sets to one address . . . . . . 10c ” ”

HOW PROMINENT WORKERS REGARD THIS SERIES

“I am heartily in favor of the plan for a ‘Third Angel’s Message’ Series of the SIGNS. That is just what is needed, something by which the great issues of present truth can be brought before tens and hundreds of thousands in a live, striking way. You may count me in among the workers to help circulate them like the leaves of autumn. I also like the suggestion to put forth organized efforts to stir whole counties in a systematic and thorough manner. “(Signed) A. T. ROBINSON, “Pres. Nebraska Conference.”

“We should sell as many of each number of this series as we sold of the special Capital and Labor number altogether (550 000). “Portis, Kansas.　　　　　　　　　N. P. DIXON.”

The Personality of the Spirit.

A word in addition to the suggestive thoughts in the article by Mr. L. D. Santee, on another page. The Spirit of God is the life of God. “With Him is the fountain of life,” pulsing out to all parts of the created universe life from the great fountain, and bringing all parts of that universe into living touch with our Father and Saviour, the Author and Redeemer. To him in harmony with the law of God, “the Spirit is life, because of righteousness,” but to him who loves sin and transgression, the law becomes a law of death, and God’s life is perverted to destruction. The only sense in which the Spirit could be spoken of as a person is that it brings to every soul who receives it by faith the personal Father and Son; it makes potent the personalities of each, even as a dozen telephones connected with some one person at the center will convey the voice of the one to the ear of all and each as tho the person at the center were actually present. So God connects with all His children. It is for faith to make the connection. See John 14: 16, 23.

Our Issue of September 21

By Editor

Our Issue of September 21.—We have a number of copies of our issue of September 21 which ought to be in circulation. It contains a cut of our new building, and gives the reasons in full as to why we moved from Oakland to Mountain View. Copies of this number will be mailed to any address for five cents each.

Work is progressing nicely on our new building, yet our offices and editorial rooms are far from settled. We have had a tremendous and abnormally early downpour of rain along the coast, but that has hindered very little. We did not suffer here as the cities did, tho the rainfall was heavy. We are of good courage in our God, altho pressed with accumulating work. He who calls to the work will carry us through.

Overcome Evil with Good

“God hath called us to peace.” 1 Cor. 7:15. With whom?—In that particular place the apostle is giving counsel to believers who have unbelieving husbands or wives; but in another place he enjoins us that, “if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Rom. 12:18. But suppose that they will not live peaceably with me? must I not stand up for my rights? must I not defend myself? Well, the apostle anticipates that question, and adds: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Verses 19-21.

A Sweet and Beautiful Surprise.

By Editor

The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is not a local paper, and hence almost never mentions local occurrences or personals, unless of general interest. But we can not refrain from noting one item. There came into our unfinished editorial rooms the other day, amidst the babel of sound of hammer and saw, and confusion and dust, some of the wondrous living pictures of God's pencils of light, beautiful with God's sunshine, redolent of the breath of heaven, a beautiful bouquet made up of various flowers, and a fragrant orchid, whose waxen white and purple petals speak of the handiwork of the Perfect One. Our thanks are hereby extended to Mrs. Burns, who so kindly remembered us. May the blessing of Him who made the flowers abide upon her and her house.

Creation, not Evolution

Reason as men will, speculate as men may, man is a distinct personality. He did not become man through long ages of evolution from the lowest ameba along the various stages through the reptile and the ape to man. Apart from the similarities that must necessarily exist in such a multiform creation of all grades, especially when physical organs of various animal kind have similar functions, there is no evidence that man was otherwise than man from the beginning. The missing link has not been found, nor will it be. History and archeology and tradition all demonstrate the original full-fledged, normal, mental, physical man; and God’s Word is clear and conclusive. Neither will the child of the world and sin, with all his base, low appetites, become the son of God and righteousness by a long process of evolution. Of course, there is Christian growth, but the essential, the very nature, must be radically changed, and this change is wrought, not by evolution, but by regeneration, re-creation, a new birth. “Ye must be born again,” were the words of Jesus to the master in Israel. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” God only, by His creative power, can make the change, and He will change you, sinner, if you will receive Jesus Christ.

“The Juvenile Court.”

The National Conference of Charities and Corrections at its annual convention at Portland, Maine, in June, 1904, appointed a national committee on “Juvenile Courts and Probation” (being a special sub-committee of the general committee on “Children”). The chairman of the committee is Hon. Ben. B. Lindsay, Judge of the Juvenile court of Denver. Among the important purposes of the committee is to urge the adoption of juvenile court laws in all the states, uniform in principle and application, as far as practicable; to bring about a practical, sensible, and sane method of administrative work, through the agencies of such courts, in the correction of children offenders, avoiding the dangers of leniency, on the one hand, and brutality on the other. Laws are urged, holding parents legally accountable for the moral delinquencies of children, similar to what Colorado has had on her statute books for two years, and which has worked to the satisfaction, it seems, of its friends. The chairman and secretary have prepared a pamphlet on the subject, setting forth the needs, the dangers, and the practical working thus far of the reform among the children. Its price is 25 cents. The title is, “The Problem of the Children, and How the State of Colorado Cares for Them.” As long as copies remain they may be had for above price. Address, “Juvenile Court,” Denver, Colo. All dealing with children difficult to manage would be helped by reading the pamphlet.

The Value of Learning a Trade

Education is not all from books. Education in a good trade is oftentimes more befitting the boy and valuable to him in character building than all the book knowledge which can be forced into him. Judge Ben. B. Lindsay, of the Juvenile court of Colorado, tells us in a recent address: “I had a boy, pursued by the school-attendance officer, come to me with tears in his eyes to know why he couldn’t get an education by learning the plumber’s trade. He wanted to be a plumber’s helper, but he had no interest in either botany or zoology. I say that boy should have had an opportunity to learn a trade. I say that boy was right, and the school was wrong. Do you people know that in nearly every state in this union, in order for a boy to learn a trade, he must commit a crime? That is to say, the state industrial schools, and not the public schools, teach these things. A public school principal once told me to send a boy to the reform school because, as he carelessly expressed it, ‘he will have a chance to learn a trade.’ ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘but why in God’s name and in common justice can’t he learn a trade at home?’ Let him learn some vocation, so that when he gets out from the eighth grade, as 92 per cent. of them do, with no chance for higher education, he will be equipped to do something that is practical, so that he can get to work to do or make things in which he finds a pleasure and a joy, instead of going to the messenger service and the street.”

The Law of God and Christian Life

Speaking by the Spirit, David says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners; nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.” Ps. 1:1, 2. And, by the same Spirit, Solomon says, “They that forsake the law praise the wicked; but such as keep the law contend with them.” Prov. 28:4. “Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son.” Verse 7. “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Verse 9. From these inspired utterances, and many more of like import, we learn that the difference between the righteous and the wicked is, that the one regards the law of God as his rule of life, and the other does not. A confession of sin is an acknowledgment that the law is yet in force (1 John 3:4; Rom. 7:7), and the acceptance of Christ as the Saviour from sin is a further acknowledgment of the same fact, together with a professed desire not to sin, or violate the law, any more. He who does not see in the Christian life a vindication of the law of God, needs to re-examine the ground of his faith and the reason of his hope.

—Messiah’s Advocate

The Lord did not say, When ye see these things begin to come to pass, know ye that He is nigh, even at the doors. That sentence is compounded of two statements of our Saviour’s. He said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” And again He said, “When ye shall see ALL these things, know that He is near, even at the doors.” The beginning of the fulfilment of the signs was not given as a sign that the Lord’s coming was “even at the doors,” or within a generation.

—Messiah’s Advocate

The Minister Needed Today

The minister needed to-day is not a man who will simply preach good things, but a man with a mission and a message. He will feel that God has called him to his work; that he has a mission for God; that God has sent him on a mission; and that he has God's message to speak. That message will ring clear and definite, sent home by the living Word. There will be no compromise with sin, no shading of the strong things of the Gospel. He will preach the message which God bids him and as God bids him, and souls will be saved.