p. 15 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 48. (12/9/1897)

Earlier text: LESSON I.—SABBATH, JANUARY 1, 1898

More than 350 Fine Illustrations

Not alone a clearly printed, conveniently arranged Bible with handy, center-column references, but, in addition, a fund of useful and valuable information concerning Bible customs, manners, history, geography, weights, measures, etc., with side lights from recent explorations, with

More than 350 Fine Illustrations

scattered through the helps, making really two volumes in one cover, of convenient size. The Bible has round corners, red-under-gold edges, minion type, and cover leather lined to edge (an important feature), divinity circuit. Size of page, 8x5½ inches.

Under One Alphabet =

A new Concordance combined with a Subject Index and a Pronouncing Dictionary of Scripture

Proper Names Diacritically Marked

For their pronunciation, with meaning. In addition to the carefully compiled Concordance of passages in the common version, there are given over 10,000 REFERENCES TO THE REVISED VERSION. Thus for the first time Bible students may, at a glance, see all the principal changes of the Revised Version placed side by side with the passages according to the common or Authorized Version. Every change of proper names made by the revisers is given. Most of the important changes suggested by the American Revisers are also given, and thus an important additional explanation of the original text is furnished to all Bible readers.

Special Features of the Treasury…..

A LIFE OF JESUS, AND HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS PARABLES AND MIRACLES OF JESUS LIFE AND TRAVELS OF PAUL SACRED CHRONOLOGY HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS, ETC., ETC.

Twelve Colored Maps with Index. In all

Over 650 Pages of Valuable Helps

to the Bible student.

We have no hesitancy in saying with every one else that this is AN EXCEPTIONAL OFFER FOR THE MONEY.

JUST THINK OF IT!

A sixteen-page, weekly, illustrated paper for one year—800 pages—and this SPLENDID BIBLE for only

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To Those Who Renew, Or to New Subscribers } For the SIGNS } One Year

Read the SPECIAL TERMS in the first column, next page, and secure a few subscribers at the regular rate, $1.00. The commission will help you get the Bible.

Add $2.00 for the Bible to the prices there given.

Choice gift books for the holidays

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing

Over two hundred pages. Richly illustrated with nineteen half-tone engravings. Cloth, with side title in gold, 75c. Half calf, marbled edges, $1.00. “A book for the quiet hour.”

“A very devout, thoughtful exposition of the Lord Christ’s words.”—Western Christian Advocate. “It can by no means be read with profit at one sitting, but is a book for time of meditation, as its title indicates.”—Baptist Union. “A deeply religious book. The publishers have gotten it out, both in type and illustrations, very well indeed.”—Southern Churchman. “This is a devotional exposition of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, in which the spiritual riches of the Beatitudes are unfolded in earnest and fervid thoughts. It is finely illustrated with views of sacred scenes, and is issued by the publishers in handsome style.”—The Lutheran Observer.”

Story of Pitcairn Island

By a Native Daughter. Third edition. Illustrated. 266 pages, $1.00.

"It is unique and well worth reading."—Christian Advocate.

"This is a chapter in history, but it reads like a romance."—Christian Observer.

"No better romance can be found in the annals of truth. No story of the tropics can enlist the interest of the young with more intensity, or convey a better idea of the power and goodness of God, than this."—Christian Cynosure.

"Towards the close of the last century, the crew of an English sloop of war mutinied, set their captain and eighteen men adrift, and sailed for Tahiti. Of their subsequent life, this book tells the story."—Public Opinion.

"The subject of this story is one of the most romantic in human annals. All is graphically told in this little volume, which, in its way, is as wonderful as Robinson Crusoe."—Christian Standard.

"No novelist ever conceived a tale more romantic than that of the mutiny of the English vessel, the Bounty, on its way across the Pacific. The story is full of admirable lessons, which are not missed by the writer of the book, herself a descendant of one of the mutineers and a native of the little island."—Golden Rule.

By Land and Sea

Through Five Continents. An interesting book of travels. The author is inclined to look upon the bright side of his experiences, hence the reader is not called upon to listen to drawn-out recitals of personal inconvenience.

The spirit of the narrative freshens the mind respecting important geographical facts and historical incidents. Through the experience of the author, the reader almost unconsciously learns the altitude of the highest mountains, the comparative population of great cities, and the location, defenses and importance of leading seaports. He crosses the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and passes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal; he ascends lofty mountains, and descends into the interior of the Pyramids; to convince him that travel is not all pleasure, he is introduced to an American blizzard, and a storm at sea; he views the defile into which the Israelites huddled when fleeing from the haughty Pharaoh, and the wilderness in which they afterwards wandered forty years; he visits Jerusalem and becomes familiar with the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the little town of Bethany; he goes down to Jericho, and is shown where the man “fell among thieves;” he wanders among the ancient ruins of Pompeii, and in the distance beholds Vesuvius; passing on he stops at Berlin, the magnificent capital of Germany, and strolls along the celebrated “Unter den Linden;” awestruck he gazes upon the grandest of the Alps, and nearly surrounded with ancient landmarks, he floats down that river so often mentioned in song and story—the Rhine.

The book contains over 400 pages, profusely illustrated, with the following bindings and prices: Cloth, with attractive side stamp, $2.25. Cloth, with gilt edges, $2.75. Full Russia, gilt edges, $3.90.

Dainty Booklets by Rev. J. R. Miller

The Rev. J. R. Miller, better known as author of “Week Day Religion,” “Silent Times,” “Home Making,” etc., has given the young the choicest of instruction in the following elegantly bound booklets:

Blessings of Cheerfulness — 35c

Young Men, Faults and Ideals — 35c

Girls; Faults and Ideals — 35c

Three to one address, 90c.

Palestine for the Young

By Rev. Andrew Bonar

By Rev. Andrew Bonar. The author describes from personal observation, and in alphabetical order, such subjects as, The Land at Large, Its Mountains and Hills, Rocks and Caves, Plains and Valleys, Rivers and Lakes, the Location of the Different Tribes, Vegetable Productions According to Seasons, etc. The Bible is filled with references to these places, and a thorough understanding of their position, peculiarities, etc., will add to the interest and profit of the Bible narrative. Cloth, $1.00.

Steps to Christ

This little volume contains the richest of spiritual instruction, and traces the different steps necessary to “Rejoicing in the Lord,” which is the title of the last chapter. So great has been the demand for this work, that it has been translated into ten different languages. Bound in cloth, 60c. We have a few copies of the original Presentation Edition, bound in white vellum, with silver edges, $1.00.

The Island World of the Pacific Ocean

By Charles Marion Tyler

By Charles Marion Tyler. Illustrated by a map of Oceanica, and with colored plates of productions and natural curiosities. Contains 337 large pages. Cloth, $1.50.

Mr. Tyler writes from personal observation and experience, and his book is filled with information concerning this island world.

The Gospel in Creation

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

By Dr. E. J. Waggoner. 169 pages; illustrated; bound in cloth, 40c.

It is easy to overlook the fact that Moses wrote the Gospel as truly in Genesis as did Paul to the Romans; and this leads us to forget that the power employed in creation, and that pledged for our redemption, are one and the same thing.

The author of this book has placed the Bible record of the works of creation and redemption side by side, thus enabling the reader to obtain a clear knowledge of the subject treated.

Sunshine for Shut-Ins

Compiled by a “Shut-In.” Says the compiler of this little volume:

“If these extracts, gathered from many sources, may carry to other hearts the sunshine of assurance in God’s love and tenderness, even in the darkest hours, that they have brought into one shut-in life, no one will rejoice more in the knowledge than the compiler.”

It contains 204 pages, attractively bound in cloth; price, 75c.

Successward

A young man's book for young men. By Edward W. Bok.

Mr. Bok thus describes the aim of this his first book: It has no other purpose save to show that success—and the truest and best success—is possible to any young man of honorable motives.

Cloth, with gold side and back title, $1.00.

A Convenient Calendar

A Convenient Calendar.—For twelve years the “Columbia Calendar” has appeared, to the gratification of its friends—all those who have used it. Like the Columbia wheel, it is “at the top;” there is no better. It has a leaf for every day in the year, giving the day of the week, the day of the month, and the day of the year, together with the moon’s changes, and some bright saying relative to wheeling, good roads, sentiment, morals, or religion. Each leaf contains plenty of blank space for jotting down anything desired to be remembered in the future, and the leaves may be preserved as a diary. The calendar stand can be so adjusted as to stand at a convenient angle on the desk, or be hung on the wall. It will be mailed to any address by sending five 2-cent stamps to the Calendar Department of the Pope Manufacturing Company, at Hartford, Conn.

THE HUMAN ABOVE THE DIVINE.

There is a constant tendency, notable in both Church and State, especially in times of backsliding, to exalt human traditions, appointments, and institutions, above the Word and institutions of God's appointment. Here is an example of this from the chief organ of a leading religious denomination of this country:—

“We do well to remember always that our feast of Thanksgiving is none other than the ancient Jewish Feast of Ingathering, and, tho our President now issues the yearly proclamation, yet, in the first instance, it was Moses who commanded the observance of this festival. By recalling this fact we link ourselves with the sublime past. We connect our nation with the nation through which God revealed himself to the world. We lift the day out of mere local or national limitations, and we prove that we too are the children of Abraham, only in that high and spiritual sense by which we are all of the household of faith.

“Just as Easter has entered into, and with its divine light transfigured, the Feast of the Passover, so does our Thanksgiving illumine and glorify the Feast of Ingathering, thus making one of the old and the new, and demonstrating the essential unity of the purposes of God throughout all generations.”

But the ancient Feast of Ingathering had another and far greater meaning,—it pointed forward to the ingathering of the hosts of God in the coming harvest, “the end of the world,” when the sheaves shall be the children of God, and the reapers the angels. Matt. 13:39; Rev. 14:14–16. The national Thanksgiving day of America is purely of human appointment, and mere human appointment is hardly sufficient to connect a nation with God, or make it successor to his favor.

But it is the second paragraph to which we wish especially to call attention. Easter transfigures the Passover! “Thanksgiving illumines and glorifies the Feast of Ingathering! Both the Passover and the Feast of Ingathering were of divine appointment, commanded of God, and full of meaning to the children of faith. “Easter” is a word which comes from “Eostre,” the Saxon goddess of spring. Men have attempted through human ordinances solely to fasten it upon the anniversary of the resurrection of our Lord, just as they have attempted to make the heathen Sunday do weekly service for the same event.

Both Easter and Sunday as religious days are pagan in origin, and for the observance of either or both there is not one single precept of Holy Writ. It is well to give thanks to God even on one day in the year; but the true Christian will do it on all days. But the appointment of a day of thanksgiving by civil authority makes it the merest farce; and the way the day is kept by the majority demonstrates this: it is a day of sports, pleasure, gambling, and gluttony. The true memorial to the world of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a yearly day of pagan origin, but the life power of our Lord manifest in the godly life of his followers every day. The true thanksgiving of the Christian is kept the year round, and is manifest in grateful benevolence to the poor and needy.

The elevation of merely human institutions above the explicit appointments of God have ever been a sign of apostasy, and the Lord sometime will well inquire, “Who hath required this at your hands?” On the other hand, he gives us this test of our gratitude and affection for him: “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

Bible Offer Reminder

By Editor

Once more we call attention to our Bible offer on page 14. Read it.

Satan and His Angels Delayed

An Article, “Satan and His Angels,” designed to follow the one of last week on the “Angels of God,” was crowded out of this issue by the exigencies of make-up. It will appear next week.

Help Circulate the Signs

Where can you get a better, cheaper family and religious paper than the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, for the exceedingly low price of $1.00 a year? Do you not wish your friends to have it? Help us to circulate it.

Make 1898 a Banner Year

By Editor

Next year the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, the Lord willing, will be better than ever before. Now is the time to subscribe yourself and to get subscribers. Help us that 1898 will be the best and banner year of its existence.

Faith and Obedience

Faith and Obedience.—There is no essential difference between the words. He who has faith in God will be obedient; and he only can be truly obedient who has faith. So really it is not “faith or works,” or “faith and works,” but it is the “faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6.

The Fruits of Satan’s Falsehood

O, how fruitful is one falsehood! That one first lie told by Satan, “Ye shall not surely die, . . . ye shall be as God,” has been prolific of a foul brood. Demon-worship, hero-worship, transmigration of souls, adoration and invocation of saints, purgatory, Spiritualism, and eternal torment all may be traced back to that Edenic falsehood. Let men who hold to these things but give up Satan’s falsehood, and all these stupendous, foundationless fabrics would fall.

In Little Things

In Little Things.— It is the knowledge of detail and faithfulness in little things that make the good mechanic and fit him for a higher position. Vigilance every little moment is what makes the faithful sentinel. Faithfulness in all the little duties of life is what builds up the true Christian character. The clerk who will filch pennies, or other little things, from his employer, would steal dollars if time and opportunity seemed favorable and the temptation strong enough. The compositor who will take “sorts” from his fellows to advantage himself rather than fill his own case, would steal greater things under little stronger temptations. The one who uses for his own pleasure little moments for which he is paid by others to do their work, is in that very thing developing a dishonest character. Here are the words of our Lord: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10.

The Place To Grow Tobacco.—

It seems to us that the alkali regions of California would be just the place to grow tobacco. Why?—Because the alkali destroys the nicotine, the deadly poison of the debasing weed. But, strange to say, this very fact is what is disappointing to the growers. This is what a press despatch headed, “Tobacco Ruined by Alkali,” says:—

“San Luis Obispo, November 23.—Dr. R. L. Breck, who for the last year has been making extensive experiments in the culture of tobacco at points north and south of this city, has just had experts pass upon the product and has found the tobacco almost entirely devoid of nicotine. The experiment was being watched by agricultural chemists and tobacco factories all over the State, and the result will prove widespread disappointment. The failure of the nicotine to materialize is attributed to the presence of alkali in the soil.”

The essential of tobacco then is nicotine, one of the deadliest poisons known, which if not present in tobacco renders it worthless. Men therefore use and love tobacco because of its poison. Would it not be better to quit it forever? It would be a blessed thing for the world if alkali were distributed in all tobacco-growing districts. But then the abnormal appetite of man would substitute opium, hashish, the betel-nut, or some other poisonous product of perverted nature.

A False Report

A False Report.—There was reported some time ago and quite extensively circulated in various papers that Captain Barker, of the battle-ship Oregon, gave orders that on last Good Friday no meat should be eaten on the vessel and that a number of the marines were punished for not saluting the Catholic priest who held religious service on board. The Independent tells us that “Captain Barker declares that there were no orders given forbidding meat that day, that there was no special religious services of any sort held, that no priest came aboard, and that nobody was punished for not saluting a priest, and that the whole story is a fabrication. Some one seems to have lied, and the lie has traveled far and wide.”

It Is One Book

It Is One Book.—“It is a well-known fact that the severest test of a railroad engineer relates to the question of his ability not to take his engine apart, but to assemble its parts together if once they are disjoined. The good colored brother was perhaps cognizant of this fact who remarked of the critical attempts of his own pastor: ‘He can take the Bible apart as good as any man I ever seed, but he can’t put it together again.’ It is a pity that anybody should want to take such a grand old Book apart. But the Bible can never really be dismembered and destroyed.”—New York Observer. And why?—The Word of God is bound together by the one life.

McClure’s Holiday Number

The first edition of the December, or mid-winter holiday number, of McClure's Magazine will be a third of a million copies. Besides special features, it will contain the late Charles A. Dana's judgment on the generals in Grant's army before Vicksburg. These opinions were formed in the field, and most of them were written from the field, and to Secretary Stanton. The price of the magazine is 10 cents. For sale by all news agents.