p. 240 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 15. (4/15/1889)

Earlier text: MRS. JEWETT AND HER NEIGHBORS

SEVENTH-DAY · ADVENTIST

By Editor

YEAR · B·O·O·K

OF · STATISTICS · FOR · 1889

Comprising the classified business proceedings of the General Conference, the International Tract Society, the International Sabbath-school Association, the American Health and Temperance Association, Denominational Publishing Houses, Health Institutions, Colleges, etc., supplemented with a

Department of General Information

Interspersed with Practical Comments on the PROPOSED RELIGIOUS AMENDMENT to the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

This "Year-Book" is a large pamphlet of over two hundred pages, nicely printed, finely illustrated, and has a beautiful engraved cover design neatly executed in blue and gold.

The General Information found in this book is well worth its price, aside from the other interesting and valuable matter which it contains.

The price is fifteen cents, post-paid, and it is well worth double this sum.

Address, # PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING CO., OAKLAND, CAL. Or, 43 Bond Street, New York City.

Building Christian Character on the Rock

The building of Christian character must be erected upon Christ Jesus our rock through faith and repentance. The stability of that building will depend on the thoroughness and depth of the repentance. He who looks back upon his sinful deeds alone and counts them not very bad, will surely fall again and again till he either turns away from the truth or accomplishes a deep and thorough repentance. But he who looks at his past sins as the evidence of a sinful heart, a corrupt and unregenerate nature, who realizes that his sins would have been tenfold more numerous and greater had opportunity offered and the Spirit of God not restrained him, who truly sorrows for sin,—such an one is laying the foundation for a stable and permanent character. Rather, he is getting down to the foundation.

He is meeting the conditions set forth by our Lord. He is digging deep that he may lay the foundation on the Rock. Luke 6:48. The foundation cannot fail, neither that which is built thereon, through a living and true faith.

"FATHERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH."

By John Norton Loughborough

SUCH is the title of a book of over 300 pages from the pen of Elder E. J. Waggoner. I have just completed a careful reading of every word of this book. It is an able presentation of the subject on which it treats, and gives the reader a concise idea of the "Fathers of the Catholic Church," treating of their character, and illustrating by copious quotations the nature of their writings. This book is a valuable addition to the library of any student, no matter what his religious faith. Few care to burden their libraries with the books necessary to obtain all these writings of the early Fathers. In this book they have such quotations from their writings as enable the reader to know, and to be able to show to others, the character of these Fathers, as well as to obtain an idea of the peculiar doctrines they have set forth in their writings.

There is one part of the book devoted to a treatise on sun-worship in the various nations of the earth; this in itself is worth many times the price of the book. I have taken a special interest in the perusal of the later chapters of the book, in which we have a delineation of the steps of development in the great apostasy, called by Paul, in his epistle to the Thessalonians, "the mystery of iniquity" that should result in the development of "the man of sin."

I commend the book to all students of biblical literature. It shows us what men, human fathers, have said, and this, compared with the word of God, may lead us to say, with the prophet of old, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Fresno, California, April 1, 1889.

An Appeal to Pennsylvania Brethren

By Editor

We call the attention of our brethren in Pennsylvania to the article by Brother Chadwick in another column. Every vote will count in the coming struggle, and on such a question all Christians ought to be found on the right side.

Upper Columbia and North Pacific Camp Meetings

By Editor

Pursuant to a request by postal card, we stated last week that the Upper Columbia camp-meeting would be held May 14 to 21; this it seems is a mistake. That meeting will be held at Colfax, Washington Territory, May 22 to 29. The North Pacific meeting will be held at East Portland, Oregon, May 14 to 21.

Canright’s Oakland Lectures Against Adventism

By Editor

MR. D. M. CANRIGHT has been in Oakland laboring in the interests of, and supported by, the Pastors' Union. He preached against Seventh-day Adventism three times, much in the same way as it is taken up in his book, "Seventh-day Adventism Renounced." Mr. C. was replied to in four discourses, three by Elder Healey and one by Elder Waggoner. These sermons were published in full by the Oakland Enquirer. If any desire these four numbers, they will be forwarded for fifteen cents, post-paid. The office has only a limited number, so "first come, first served."

The Petition for Religious Liberty

By Editor

The Christian Cynosure says that the “report that the petition of the Seventh-day Adventists against the Blair bill is signed by about ten times as many persons as that church reports, is attracting attention.”

Did the Cynosure but know it, the petition referred to is not “the petition of the Seventh-day Adventists” but of liberty-loving American citizens, of the various churches, not excepting Catholics, a number of whom have understandingly signed the petition. Seventh-day Adventists are, we are happy to say, not the only people in this country who love liberty and justice.

Arizona Sunday Bill Defeated

The chaplain of the Arizona Legislature writes us that the Sunday bill recently before that body has failed to become a law because of the failure, or rather refusal, of the Governor to sign it. The first Sunday bill introduced was defeated, but the matter was not allowed to rest there. The women of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union had another bill introduced, for which they worked so diligently that it passed both Houses, but failed to meet the approval of the chief executive of the Territory, and, as our correspondent says, "The people of Arizona are still free to worship according to the dictates of their consciences."

The State of the Dead

ONE so-called orthodox poet writes:—

"Where are the dead? In Heaven or hell Their disembodied spirits dwell, Reserved in bonds of clay Until the Judgment-day."

While another sings of being by death "released from cumbrous clay." Now if the latter be true how can the first be? for while both agree that the dead go at once to their reward, the one has "their disembodied spirits" "reserved in bonds of clay," while the other has them released from clay. Which is right? or are both wrong and the Scriptures right when they teach, as they do in every part, that the only hope of a future conscious existence is dependent upon a resurrection from the dead?

Catholic Growth and Protestant Education

A correspondent of the New York Evangelist, writing from Washington, D. C., says:—

"Besides convents, parochial schools, and collegiate institutes difficult to number, the Catholics have in this district three establishments for higher instruction, the Georgetown University, the Gonzaga College, and the new Catholic University. The institution in Georgetown is the largest and best endowed center of learning in America founded and owned by the Jesuits. . . . Meanwhile there is not in this city of magnificent resources a single Protestant female college, and the only male institution is Columbian University, poorly endowed, crippled all along the line of instruction for want of means."

Only those who know little about it imagine that the rapid growth of Romanism is not a menace to this country.

Luxury and Extravagance

An example of modern luxury and extravagance rivaling the far-famed oriental splendor, is the mansion now building of Mrs. Mark Hopkins-Searles, near New York City. Various and valuable marbles from both continents, costly carved woods, ivory, silver, and gold, are the materials which enter into its construction with lavish profusion. The side walls of the main reception-room, or atrium, are composed of fifty onyx panels, through which electric lights illumine the costly parlor with the softness of sunlight. Even the servants' bath-rooms and the kitchen are floored and wainscoted in marble. The organ is the largest house organ in America, height forty feet, case of English oak, with pure gold mouldings. The cost of the largest chimney above the roof is said to be $10,000, while the cost of the whole building, with its surroundings, is estimated at $2,500,000. And all this to gratify pride (for it does not add to comfort), while thousands in the world are starving!

Catholics and the Pope’s Temporal Power

The Independent, some time since, in commenting on the address of the cardinal and bishops of the United States to the Pope, said that "the most intelligent Catholics do not want the Pope to have temporal power." And this sentiment is often heard from Protestants who are endeavoring to persuade themselves that there is no danger. But is it true? Referring to this utterance of the Independent the Catholic Review of March 9 says:—

"Will the Independent kindly tell us who are 'the intelligent Catholics' of the country? Are they the spiritual rulers of the church, who have told plainly in their letter the wrongs the Holy Father has suffered at the hands of the invading Government, and thus voiced the sentiments of the many millions of the faithful and educated Catholics of the republic, or are 'the intelligent Catholics' restricted to the writers whose pens are at the service of the enemy, through the columns of the Independent?"

Every true Roman Catholic is in favor of the restoration of the Pope's temporal power, and when crucial tests come, they will fall into line and shoulder to shoulder oppose any power that opposes the Papacy. "Be not deceived;" "Rome never changes."

Church Union and Religious Legislation

The Occident in speaking of the union of churches recently, remarks that "the thing which seems to us so hopeful, and the realization of the near future, is the blending in one of the bodies of like faith and the co-operation of the remainder. The former seems only a question of time for accomplishment in the foreign field, and the latter is being hastened by the broader minds on all sides."

It refers to the coldness and selfishness manifested by some as chilling, but the "leaders" and their "characters and surroundings" show that these "possibilities" of union are not out of range. And then the Occident gives us one of the compelling forces of unity in the following:—

"In fact, add the pressure of providences that necessitate the combination of the forces of Christendom, and the most unbelieving can hardly look to the need of more than ten years to bring into willingness the most unwilling."

Among these so-called providences is the demand for religious legislation. True union would be, not mere co-operation, but blending. "Pressure of providences" united Pilate and Herod, and Jesus was crucified. Politics is bearing too large a share in the unifying of these denominations for the union to be safe or to be looked upon as a thing of good. The Sunday law is one of the essentials, and its consequences are oppression and persecution.

New Hampshire Prohibition Amendment Defeated

THE New Hampshire Prohibition Amendment was defeated by about 5,400 majority. Only 55,000 votes were cast of 90,000, the usual vote of the State.

Upper Columbia Camp-Meeting

The Upper Columbia camp-meeting will be held at Colfax May 22-29. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.