p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 38. (9/18/1901)

Earlier text: PROTESTANTISM IN THE PHILIPPINES

Proof of Power

So long as an engine stands still there is room to doubt its power to move, but when it thunders down the track, all such doubts vanish.

For this—power rather than profession, acts rather than promises—the world is looking to the Church to-day.

Believing that the world has a perfect right thus to look, Pastor A. F. Ballenger has written the book

POWER FOR WITNESSING

The price is 75 cents

Pacific Press Publishing Company

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

11 West Twentieth Street ★ NEW YORK CITY

18 West Fifth Street ★ KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

A New Song Book

Just the thing for tent meetings, special meetings, and for use in mission work. The music is bright, stirring, and in the main new. The selections which have been included in the book are standard, and such as are generally regarded necessary to make any song book complete. Price 15¢

_Address_

_Elder Louis C. Sheafe, Aikin, S. Carolina_

Many Friends

are being made through our

Dollar TEACHERS' BIBLE

The other day a gentleman who had just purchased a much higher priced book happened to see this one as he was leaving the store, and at once desired to have it instead of the one he had just bought.

It contains a specially prepared pronouncing dictionary, combined with a concordance. This device gives room for a large variety of helps not found in any other book.

Not a cheaply gotten up book, but a high grade, well finished Bible.

Post-paid, $1.20

If not satisfactory your money returned

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING COMPANY :: Oakland, Cal.

WAY TO CHRIST

To those who have read this sweet little tract no word of commendation is necessary, but many have not. Send for a sample copy if you have not read it yet, and then you will want a hundred for circulation among those out of Christ. Sixteen pages. Price, 72 cents per hundred.

Christian Science

By Editor

We have a book now in press which discusses the true science of Christianity in a way that will be new to many of our readers.

The author believes that there are to be wonderful revelations of power in the near future. Some of these he believes will be for good, while others will be for evil.

The necessity of our knowing the distinguishing features of the good is the central thought of his book. The title is

Miracles and Delusions

Those who have read the MS. are confident it will have a large sale, and we are printing a first edition of five thousand copies.

A very appropriate cover design—a night scene on the Nile—is now being completed, and we hope to have the book itself soon. Advance orders are solicited. Price, 50 cents, in cloth binding.

Who Changed the Sabbath

We have just received a single order for five thousand copies of the above tract. This indicates how anxious people are becoming over the real reason for the observance of Sunday. Twenty-four pages. Price, 98 cents per hundred.

Sound an Alarm

This sixteen-page illustrated tract is now in its second edition, thirty-five thousand having been printed.

It is interesting because it speaks about things in which people are interested. It is true because it is based on the Book of Eternal Truth—the Bible.

If your friend, your neighbor, or traveling companion asks you the meaning of the present unsettled condition of the world, hand him this tract. It will bring light to his soul. Try it. Price of the tract is 72 cents per hundred.

POCKET CONCORDANCE

We carry a very good concordance, which contains about thirty thousand words, and yet is so small that it can easily be carried in the pocket. Price is 30 cents.

Pacific Press Publishing Co., Oakland, Cal.

11 West Twentieth St., New York City

18 West Fifth St., Kansas City, Missouri

CO-OPERATION CORNER.

By Editor

MANY of our faithful missionary workers would gladly use much larger clubs of the SIGNS or Little Friend than they are now circulating, if they could afford to do so, while there are others who would be just as glad to pay for such clubs, if they knew who needed them.

For these reasons we have opened the “Co-operation Corner.” It will contain requests for clubs of papers for use in various fields, short reports from those who are using such clubs, acknowledgments of money received, and such other information as will bring together those who can use papers, but can not pay for them, and those who can pay for papers, but are not situated so they can use them.

This week we have received a plea from an orphan asylum. There are over a hundred children in this institution who attend Sabbath-school regularly, and they have only been receiving a club of 36 Little Friends. This club expired several weeks ago, and they have been without papers since. Those in charge write that the children miss their papers exceedingly when they fail to come, and it also makes it very difficult for the teachers to keep up the interest of the children in their Sabbath-school lessons.

Are there not some friends among the SIGNS readers who would like to see this club continued?

The cost for one year will be $14.40.

Address your reply to SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.

Sound an Alarm Tract Reaches Half a Million Pages

“My soul seems on fire to go out and distribute ‘it,’ writes one of our workers regarding the tract, ‘Sound an Alarm.’ The sale of this tract has reached a over half a million pages during the first month of its publication. Your friends and neighbors are thirsting for the truth it contains. Send for a hundred copies, price 72 cents, post-paid, and your own soul will be watered while working with them.

BAPTISM: Its Significance, Its Nature, and the Necessity for It.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

By E. J. Waggoner. Bible Students’ Library, No. 79. Pacific Press Pub. Co., Oakland, Cal. 16 pp.; 2 cents.

WERE THE BLUE LAWS A FORGERY?

A CORRESPONDENT writes us from Milton, Massachusetts, under date of August 7, as follows:—

“The Famed Blue Laws,” in your issue of July 31, are thus regarded by candid historians: “The code commonly called the Blue Laws of Connecticut, is now generally considered to have been a forgery by the Rev. Samuel Peters. The early statutes were not peculiarly severe or intolerant.”—Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. vi, page 258. As you claim to be set forth the defense of the truth, you will, after verifying this quotation, publish it in your next issue. Sam’l. A. Peters was a Tory who fled to Eng. See “McClintock and Strong’s Cyc.,” vol. 8, page 36.

DANIEL STEELE, a son of Ct. born parents.

The quotation from the “Britannica,” is correctly quoted, but it is found on page 289, instead of page 258. This, however, is what a better authority on this topic has to say:—

“Blue Laws,” the name given to the first collection of laws framed for the government of the Connecticut colony. They were published in collected form, in 1650, and issued in blue paper covers. From this fact they derived the name “Blue Laws.” They contained rigid enactments against every social vice, as well as for social regulations, and revealed the sternness of the Puritan character and morals. Copies of these laws found their way to England, where they first received the name of “Blue Laws.”

“To ridicule the Puritans of New England, a series of ridiculous enactments, falsely purporting to be a selection from the ‘Blue laws,’ were promulgated, and gained general belief.”—Cyclopedia of United States History, by Benson J. Lossing, LL.D.

It will be seen that Lossing places the publication of the “Blue Laws” in 1650, but Peters, who published what was evidently a perversion of the same, was not born till 1735. Our correspondent is partly right and partly wrong. After all, one State has but little to boast over another.

Co-operation Corner

Read our “Co-operation Corner” on the preceding page, friend, and co-operate.

Our Missions Department

By Editor

Our Missions department will be of interest this week as showing what our Methodist brethren are doing in the Philippines. May God bless every effort put forth to win souls to Him.

Circulating the Sound an Alarm Tract

Do not forget that now is a good time to circulate the tract, “Sound an Alarm.” Price 72 cents per 100 copies. It presents some vivid facts as to Capital and Labor, and the final outcome according to the “more sure word of prophecy.”

Studies on the Law of God

By Editor

We have just received the last of a series of instructive studies from the pen of Pastor E. J. Hibbard, Biblical instructor in the American Medical Missionary College of Chicago. The writer is an excellent teacher, and those who follow him in these studies will find new beauties in the law of God. We will announce their publication later.

Reconciling Capital and Labor

One of the sad things in the capital-and-labor strife is that both parties to the controversy are drawing apart, and the sensational press is helping this on. “How Shall Capital and Labor be Reconciled?” is a great flaming headline in a large daily paper not long ago, the whole tendency of whose teachings since the strike has been to engender hatred between the parties at variance. It ought to have asked this question in the beginning. Let the question of both parties be, How may an honorable peace be effected, to the advantage of both parties and the humiliation of neither? Let each put himself in the other's place. Let them, if they can not be Christians, at least be reasonable men.

God’s Law, the Law of Life

God’s Law presents no arbitrary requirements to show His authority. Infinite Love, Wisdom, and Justice could not give any other law. The commandments of God are the expression of His own character, and He can not deny Himself. Moreover, God’s law is the law of His life. It is the law of the life of all humanity. To pervert it is sin and death. God could not, therefore, teach or require any change or perversion. He wishes man to live; how could He give him a law of death? God’s law is the law of righteousness. “All Thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. 119: 172. “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” Why not make this law your own?

Christ’s Solution to Labor Troubles

Our blessed Lord's solution of the great class and social questions agitating the world is thus expressed: “All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them.” Matt. 7:12, R.V. That will, if carried out, settle all the labor troubles in the world. But it can not be enforced by law. Only the Spirit of Christ in the heart can make it operative. Try it.

Jesus Is the Saviour of Sinners

Jesus is the Saviour of Sinners.—It matters not how great the sinner; He is able to save to the uttermost. He does not seek us sinners because we are worthy, but because we are needy. He desires to make us worthy and supply all our need. He bestows goodness because He is good. He supplies abundantly because we are needy. The man who could not in his feelings of shame so much as look to heaven, smote upon his breast and cried, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” That was his need; and the Lord justified the needy of justification. Come to Christ pleading your need and His love and mercy.

SOMETHING FOR PARENTS.

By Editor

How to instruct, interest, and properly train children is one of the great problems which parents have to solve, and to those who seek the good of their children (and what parent worthy of the name does not?) it is a problem worthy of profound and careful study.

The SIGNS OF THE TIMES wishes to help all such. We have endeavored to do this in the past. We wish to do it more definitely in the future. Not that we shall attempt to train the children; the parents under God must do that. Our work will be to offer suggestions to parents which they may reduce to practise, adapted to the various complex bodies and minds which children possess.

For this purpose we have secured a number of articles from Prof. Frederick Griggs, principal of South Lancaster Academy, on Nature Study. The following articles are already in hand:—

Purpose of Nature Study, Some Principles of Nature Study, Expression, Changes in Animal Life, A Few Suggestions for the Study of Animals.

These articles will soon begin in our Home department, and will continue till closed. They will be illustrated, and we are sure that parents can obtain help from them in various branches of nature study. Call the attention of parents to these articles.

The Principle of Christian Service

The language of selfishness and self-service is: I will be first; I will be above all; I will rule; men shall look up to me; I will have great riches; I am better than you; you shall serve me. The principle of the Gospel is: God and my brethren first; willing to occupy the humblest position; more willing to serve than to rule; not looking for honor or preferment; seeking the kingdom of God rather than riches; in honor preferring one another; more anxious to serve than to be served. This is the teaching of Christ—more, it is the life of Christ; and it will be the mighty actuating principle in the lives of those whom He accounts worthy to be His. He told His disciples that the lords and rulers of the Gentiles exercised authority over them. “But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10: 42-45. Service, whole-hearted and unreserved, is the badge of true Christianity. Self, wherever it comes in, is the rift that spoils the flute, the flaw that spoils the diamond, the bar that keeps out heaven.

Deciding for Eternity

These are trying times. The prophet Joel, looking forward to these days, filled with a multiplicity of vital questions, exclaimed: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” Men are everywhere ranging themselves on one side or the other of great questions; but, O, how few of them are deciding from the basis of sound moral principle. With many it is a decision in sentiment, led by some blinded demagogue. With many it is a matter of expediency, will it pay? With many it is a matter of politics and party. And yet all these avail naught. They may seem to pay now; but in the ultimate, weighed in the balances of God, they will be found wanting. Righteousness, justice, truth, love—let these be the basis of every decision now. You can not afford to do otherwise. You are deciding for eternity.

Turkey and the Eastern Powers

Will Turkey resist France? is one of the great questions confronting the political world. If there is a war, will imperial Russia assist republican France? Or will the German eagle and British lion hold in check the Russian bear? With the other powers neutral, the lesson of the South African war is that France in the aggressive would more than find her match with Turkey on the defensive. If Germany and other powers should hold aloof, and leave Russia and France a free hand, Turkey, of course, would be dismembered; but there would be several hungry gormandizers at the feast. It is an interesting problem on the great eastern chess board, and no man, apart from God's Word, knows the ultimate. The sure word of prophecy is the only true light. Do you know that? If not, why not?

Jesus Christ Is Coming Again

Jesus Christ is coming again. He came once. All who believe in Him believe that. He came literally, came as foretold. The same Book that told of His first advent tells of His second. The first coming was literal; the second will be. The first coming was a necessary part of God’s plan for the redemption of humanity; the second is equally necessary. Those who love Him will be glad that He is coming again. Do you love Him for what He has wrought for you? Then would you not like to see Him and be with Him? This same Jesus is coming again. Prepare to receive Him.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis.—Since Dr. Koch, the noted German bacteriologist, has given the opinion that bovine tuberculosis is not transmissible to human beings, many people will rejoice to think that they can eat beef affected by tuberculosis without fear of taking consumption. Many other noted physicians do not agree with this new idea; but even if it be true, the prospect for the stomachs of its adherents is not very inviting. The poisonous product from the germs is worse than the germs.

Trumpet Echoes

“Trumpet Echoes” is a little publication which comes to us from the “Society” for the Promotion of Bible Study. No. 6 is entitled, “A Layman’s ‘Review of a Sermon on the Christian Sabbath.” It is a candid, fair, and Christian discussion of the theme.