p. 16 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 6. (2/7/1906)

Earlier text: ETERNAL LIFE AND IMMORTALITY

A FRUITFUL ERROR.

By Ellen G. White

NO ERROR accepted by the Christian world strikes more boldly against the authority of Heaven, none is more directly opposed to the dictates of reason, none is more pernicious in its results, than the modern doctrine, so rapidly gaining ground, that God's law is no longer binding upon men. Every nation has its laws, which command respect and obedience; no government could exist without them; and can it be conceived that the Creator of the heavens and the earth has no law to govern the beings He has made? Suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach that the statutes which govern their land and protect the rights of its citizens were not obligatory,—that they restricted the liberties of the people, and therefore ought not to be obeyed; how long would such men be tolerated in the pulpit? But is it a graver offense to disregard the laws of states and nations than to trample upon those divine precepts which are the foundation of all government?

It would be far more consistent for nations to abolish their statutes, and permit the people to do as they please, than for the Ruler of the universe to annul His law, and leave the world without a standard to condemn the guilty or justify the obedient. Would we know the result of making void the law of God? The experiment has been tried. Terrible were the scenes enacted in France when atheism became the controlling power. It was then demonstrated to the world that to throw off the restraints which God has imposed is to accept the rule of the cruellest of tyrants. When the standard of righteousness is set aside, the way is open for the prince of evil to establish his power in the earth.

Wherever the divine precepts are rejected, sin ceases to appear sinful, or righteousness desirable. Those who refuse to submit to the government of God are wholly unfitted to govern themselves. Through their pernicious teachings, the spirit of insubordination is implanted in the hearts of children and youth, who are naturally impatient of control; and a lawless, licentious state of society results. While scoffing at the credulity of those who obey the requirements of God; the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of Satan. They give the rein to lust, and practise the sins which have called down judgment upon the heathen.—Mrs. E. G. White.

Signs of the Times in the United States.

(Continued from page 9.)

only from $10,534,201 to $15,147,784, it will be seen that the extra money goes almost wholly into the pockets of the whisky-makers.

According to figures furnished by the government Bureau of Statistics, there are consumed in the United States in one year about forty million barrels of beer, ninety-eight million gallons of proof spirits, and thirty million and five hundred thousand gallons of wine. These drinkables, sold at retail, take out of the pockets of consumers in a single twelvemonth the sum of $1,454,119,858. It is a good deal of money, and one is tempted to consider what it could accomplish if it were put to really useful purposes, instead of being practically thrown away.

What This Sum Would Do.

It would provide 500,000 families, or 2,500,000 people—more than the entire population of the States of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, North Dakota, and Montana—with comfortable homes, clothing, and provisions for twelve whole months. To each family it would give $350 for provisions, $80 for clothing, $30 for shoes, $20 for newspapers, magazines, and books, $50 for church and charitable purposes, and would build for each family a house costing $1500, with $350 to furnish it—thus bestowing upon each one of the half million families $2,380, and leaving a balance of $264,119,000 to erect 52,818 churches, each costing $5,000. The figures arrange themselves in tabulated form as follows:

500,000 families, $350 each for provisions . . . $175,000,000 500,000 families, $80 each for clothing . . . 40,000,000 500,000 families, $30 each for shoes . . . 15,000,000 500,000 families, $20 each for books etc. . . . 10,000,000 500,000 families, $50 each for charity, etc. . . . 25,000,000 500,000 houses, $1,500 each . . . 750,000,000 500,000 families, $350 each for furniture . . . 175,000,000 52,818 churches, $5,000 each . . . 264,119,000 Total . . . $1,454,119,000

It is practically impossible for the human mind to grasp so enormous a sum of money, but recognition of its magnitude may be rendered more easy by comparing with it certain other expenditures which are made for the every-day necessaries of life. For instance, the people of the United States in a year, spend $660,000,000 for meats and $600,000,000 for breadstuffs. They pay out $630,000,000 for cotton and worsted goods, for wearing apparel and household use. Boots and shoes cost them $261,000,000 in the same length of time. For iron and steel they spend $580,000,000, for sugar and molasses $225,000,000, and for tea, coffee, and chocolate $169,000,000. It will be noticed that no two of these items, which represent the chief expenses of the nation, equal in sum the total expenditure for liquors; the meats and breadstuffs together amount to only $1,260,000,000.

One is not so much surprised to learn that during the last twelve months alcohol sent sixty thousand persons in this country to drunkard's graves, or seven for every hour of day or night throughout the year.

EXCURSIONS

Low Rates to California

On sale every day, from February 15 to April 7, from all eastern points. Following are a few:

Chicago, $33.00 Bloomington, $32.00 Peoria, $31.00 St. Louis, $30.00 Cairo, Memphis, and New Orleans, $31.65 Kansas City and Leavenworth, $25.00 St. Joseph, Atchison, Council Bluffs, $25.00 Omaha, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, $25.00 Nearly all points in Kansas, $25.00 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, $25.00 Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, $20.00 New York, $50.00

Santa Fe Agents will take deposits of money to cover price of tickets, which will be promptly furnished to passengers at any point.

TICKET OFFICES 653 Market St., San Francisco 1112 Broadway, Oakland Also any Santa Fe Agent.

CHURCH DIRECTORY OF GREATER N. Y. CITY.

PLACES where believers in the truths set forth in this paper meet for public worship. To each of these services the reader is cordially invited. Seats are always free, and strangers always welcome.

Church No. 1. 535 West 110th St., Beacon Light Gospel Tabernacle. Sabbath-school, Sabbath morning (Saturday) at 9:30. Preaching at 11:00. Prayer meeting Friday evenings. Seivis Klebahu, pastor, 2172 Amsterdam Ave., Manhattan.

Church No. 2. Eureka Hall. 285 Eighth Ave., Manhattan. Sabbath-school at 2, and preaching at 3 P.M.

Church No. 3. B. L. G. Tabernacle, 535 W. 110th St., Manhattan. Sabbath-school at 9:30, and preaching at 11 A.M. John Mitchell, pastor, 234 East 53rd St., Manhattan.

Church No. 4 (colored). Miller Building, 66th Street and Broadway. Sabbath-school at 9:30, and preaching at 11:00. Bible lectures every Sunday evening at 7:45, by J. K. Humphrey, pastor, 233 West 62nd St., Manhattan.

Church No. 5. Finnish Mission, 19 East 135th St., Manhattan. Sabbath-school at 2, and preaching at 3 P.M. G. A. King, pastor, 982 East 156th St., Bronx.

Browe Church Berean Chapel, 166th St. and Trinity Ave., Bronx. Sabbath-school at 10, and preaching at 11 o'clock. C. H. Edwards, pastor, 1039 East 169th St., Bronx.

Brooklyn English Church No 1. Westminster United Presbyterian Church, Hopkinson Ave., near Decatur St., Brooklyn. Sabbath-school at 9:30, and preaching at 11 o'clock. Bible lectures every Thursday evening at 8 o'clock. L. H. Proctor, pastor, 367 Clifton Place, Brooklyn.

Brooklyn English No. 2 (colored). 541 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn. Sabbath-school at 10, and preaching at 11 o'clock. J. K. Humphrey, pastor, 233 West 62nd St. Manhattan.

Brooklyn Scandinavian Church No. 1. Scandinavian Church, 256, 19th St., Brooklyn. M. L. Andreasen, pastor, 646 President St., Brooklyn. Sabbath-school at 10, and preaching at 11 o'clock.

Brooklyn German No. 1. Sabbath-school at 10, and preaching at 11. A.M. Bernard Voth, pastor, 184 Onderdonk Ave., Brooklyn.

Swedish Church, Brevoort Hall, 154 East 54th St., Manhattan. Bible lectures Sundays at 4 P.M. and Wednesdays at 8 P.M. G. E. Nord, pastor, 59 East 118th St., Manhattan.

A regular course of Bible lectures covering all the points of truth presented in this paper are being given each Sunday and Wednesday evening at the Beacon Light Gospel Tabernacle, 535 West 110th St., Manhattan, by Evangelist C. H. Edwards.

Reading matter, such as books, tracts and periodicals, treating upon the themes presented in this paper may be secured at the Greater New York Tract Society, 535 West 110th St., Manhattan.

P. U. M. M. & B. ASSN. MEETING.

A SPECIAL meeting of the members of the Pacific Union Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association will be held in connection with the sessions of the Pacific Union Conference, at Portland, Oregon, from Feb. 15, 1906, to Feb. 25, 1906. It is expected that this will be the last meeting of the P. U. M. M. & B. Assn., and that a medical department of the Pacific Union Conference will be formed. W. R. SIMMONS, President, E. E. PARLIN, Secretary.

BIENNIAL MEETING PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE.

The third biennial session of the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is called to convene in the Seventh-day Adventist Church at Portland, Ore., at 9:00 A.M., Thursday, February 15, and will continue until the 25th, 1906, for the purpose of selecting the officers and executive committee of the Pacific Union Conference for the ensuing biennial term, and transacting such other business as may properly come before the meeting. Each local conference and mission field is entitled to one delegate in the sessions of the conference, without regard to numbers, and one additional delegate for every three hundred church-members. W. B. WHITE, President, J. J. IRELAND, Secretary.

Devotional Songs

One-half new songs that will never grow old

One-half old songs that will always be new

Devotional Songs

250 pages, cloth, $25.00 per 100; 30 cents each by mail.

A copy for examination will be mailed on request. Returnable.

Published by the publishers of the famous "Gospel Hymns."

THE BIGLOW & MAIN Co., New York and Chicago

IMPORTANT TO TRAVELERS

The SUNSET-PIEDMONT AIR LINE announce the opening of their through line via New Orleans. Personally conducted cars, San Francisco to Washington, D. C., via Coast Line and Los Angeles, tri-weekly. Tickets at lowest rates to Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, New England, and all Eastern points. Through the Old South. Quick time. Best service. Write Phil K. Gordon, 633 Market St., San Francisco, for full information.

Health Foods by Mail Order

Buy your health foods and groceries by the mail-order plan. Your name and address written on a postal card will bring you all the desired information, including price list and other items of interest to you. Do not procrastinate. Address, Sanitarium Food Co., 407 E. Burnside St., Portland, Oregon.

Our Departments

By Editor

Our Departments.—It is but proper to our readers, and just to ourselves, to say that this special issue is not properly representative of our regular issue. While the subject matter is along the line of the general Biblical instruction which the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is constantly giving, we have sacrificed our departments in this issue to the demand of other matter. While there is much of editorial matter in the paper, there is no department as such, as there usually is, except this page. Our Question Corner and Outlook department are not in the paper as departments, tho it will be found that this paper answers many questions, and is emphatically an outlook number.

Our Missions department is wanting, yet the paper presents before its readers one of the greatest and neediest mission fields in the whole country, the great metropolis. Our Home department is also omitted, but we are sure that the homes into which this paper comes will find much of general interest regarding the great metropolis, as well as in the vital and all-important religious subjects presented. Read the paper, weigh it in the balances of the Infallible Word, and hold fast that which is good.

A Better Prospect

By Editor

Does this paper as a whole seem pessimistic? Does it present a dark picture? So far as this old earth is concerned, it surely does. But when God has repeatedly spoken as to the very character of these times, when the records and revelations of existing conditions demonstrate that the fulfilment has met the prophecy, what can we do otherwise than to declare the faithful Word. We are only saying to you that all that God hath declared in His Word concerning this generation has come to pass or is in prospect of fulfilment. The great Physician with infallible skill, foresight, and precision has diagnosed the case and outlined the progress of the disease. Shall we declare otherwise? Is it right, is it wise, to say to the wicked, "Thou art righteous, it shall be well with thee," when he is rushing on to certain doom? By so doing we but involve ourselves in his ruin. Yet there is a remedy, simple, full, free, that which will save every soul of church and world; that remedy is the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord, the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes. That remedy saves men by saving each individual, giving heart and hope and life to every soul. That Gospel gives promise to the life that now is, even better than the world gives, and holds out before us the glorious fruition of a life beyond, measuring with the life of God. That Gospel, while it does not, can not, declare that the evil of this world can evolve into good, does declare that the creative power of the life of God will, in response to living faith, come down into this slough of despond and recreate and lift up every soul who desires it. The Gospel of God, too, reveals that not long shall the old earth rush on with its load of sin. The Deliverer is soon to come. The dross of sin will be purged and consumed by His presence, and beyond lies the glorious Golden Age of eternity.

What Is the Lord's Day?

The expression occurs but once in all the Bible, but the passage in question does not reveal the day of the week. It reads as follows: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev. 1:10. Now, according to God's Word, for this alone is authority upon this question, what day is the Lord's Day? Three scriptures will answer this most conclusively:

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day." Isa. 58:13.

"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20:10.

"The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.

These texts conclusively show that the Lord's holy day is the Sabbath, and that the Sabbath is the seventh day, and that the seventh-day Sabbath is the day of which Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, according to the Lord's Word, the Lord's day is the seventh-day Sabbath. Could we ask clearer evidence?

CONTAINED IN THIS NUMBER.

By Editor

Poetry. Our Metropolis, MAX HILL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

General. Snap Shots of New York City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Coming of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Our Sacrifice and Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Last Threefold Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sin Is Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 A Great Literal Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Billionaires and Paupers, H. E. ROBINSON . . . . . . . . . 8 Is the World Growing Better? M. L. ANDREASEN . . . . 9 Signs of the Times in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Federation of the Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Christ Our Life, RODERICK S. OWEN . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Eternal Life and Immortality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Culmination of Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Sabbath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Harvest of Greed (Bible-Reading) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Given to Pleasure, B. F. RICHARDS, M. D. . . . . . . . . . 14 A Fruitful Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 When Was the Sabbath Changed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Church Directory of Greater N. Y. City . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Publishers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

THE LAW OF GOD.

By Editor

THERE is no more important thing in the universe than God's law. It has been the delight of the truest servants of God, and is the bane of the carnal heart. It has figured in every controversy which has ever taken place since controversy began, and will so figure till controversy shall be no more. Moreover, whether we will or not, we must have part in this controversy; on the one side or the other we must stand. How important it is that we understand the law. To assist in this study we shall soon place before our readers ten articles on this great subject by a Hebrew Christian, who has made the law a subject of study from various view-points. The titles of these articles are as follows:

The Origin of God's Law,

The Law Given to Adam and His Posterity,

Why the Law Was Given on Sinai,

What the Jewish Church Did with the Law,

God's Purpose with the Law,

What the Law Could Not Do; What Christ Could Do,

The Law in Christ; Christ in the Law,

Christ the End of the Law,

The Sabbath Law and the Atonement,

The Last Great Warfare against Jehovah's Law.

We plead with our readers to give these careful and faithful study.

The Rest of the Sabbath.

The rest of the holy Sabbath is not mere cessation from physical labor. "God is Spirit." "His law is spiritual." His rest was spiritual rest, refreshing and delightful. Ex. 31: 17. He sanctifies and blesses by placing within the thing sanctified His own presence. 1 Cor. 3: 16, 17. So the hallowed bread—the showbread—was literally the bread of the presence. Christ was the Angel of God's presence, because God was in Him. So the Sabbath is "the holy of the Lord" (Isa. 58: 13), "holy to the Lord" (Ex. 31: 15). The rest of the Sabbath is, therefore, spiritual rest, the rest of Christ's presence in the Sabbath, which faith alone appropriates. Men came in contact with Christ, but saw and knew only the Man Jesus. But faith saw in Him the Lord of life, and drew from Him life-giving virtue. Many come in contact with the Sabbath; they see in it but a day as other days, or a day of casual rest, but faith sees in it the sign of the ever-living Creator and Redeemer, finds in it the presence of Christ, and appropriates the blessing God has promised. This is the rest of the holy Sabbath to the Lord. Then, indeed, is it "a delight."

BELIEVING UNTO LIFE.

1. How are all men born by nature? "Born of the flesh;" subject to death. John 3: 6; Rom. 5: 12; Eph. 2: 1, 2.

2. What will those do who are born of the flesh? They do "the works of the flesh." Gal. 5: 19-21. "Because the carnal mind [the mind of the flesh] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8: 7.

3. How alone can man become obedient unto God? "Ye must be born from above." John 3: 7, margin. "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God." Verse 5. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1: 12.

4. What does faith in Christ bring to the sinner? Righteousness and life. "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith." Rom. 3: 22. "In the way of righteousness is life." Prov. 12: 28. "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life." John 3: 36.

Thou Shalt Not Kill

"Thou Shalt Not Kill."—In a recent debate in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Los Angeles the question discussed was as to the killing of incurably-deformed babies at birth. Strong arguments were made on both sides, but at the close of the debate it was decided by a vote of two to one that it would be better to destroy the infants, and that, notwithstanding the fact that these two arguments were forcibly presented: first, that no one could tell in an infant so young whether it was incurably deformed; and, second, God had given the command "Thou shalt not kill." But what has modern science to do with the Decalogue?

A Word as to Our Home Department

By Editor

A Word as to Our Home Department.—In order to present better variety and more instruction in our Home department, we will devote each month to the following topics: The first week, the work of parents, especially mothers. For this we solicit the good experiences of mothers, briefly told. The second issue in the month will be given to the young people in the family; the third week, to temperance; the fourth week to children and miscellaneous. This may be varied at times, but as far as possible we shall hold to our program. Next week will contain instruction for the young.

On Mission Fields

By Editor

On Mission Fields.—We hope in a short time to lay before our readers several series of articles on the great mission fields of the world, such as Japan, India, Korea, China, etc. These will be written by laborers in the field, those who are acquainted with conditions. They will be of more than ordinary interest.

The Federation Article

By Editor

Our Federation article will be found on page 9. We are sorry that it seemed necessary to divide it. It is of vast importance. Keep this issue and read the two parts of the article together.

Something Better Than This World

Friend, reader, does not your heart long for something better than this world has given or can give you?—If so, you will find all you need, and more than you can ask or think, in Jesus Christ, the One in whom all fulness dwells.